JP2023165373A - Confectionery ingredient, gum, and method for producing gum - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a confectionery ingredient which can more effectively prevent the development of cavities and periodontal disease; gum; and a method for producing gum.SOLUTION: A confectionery ingredient contains an alkaline compound of 0.001-5.0 mass% in the ingredient 100 mass%. The alkaline compound preferably should be calcium hydroxide. The calcium hydroxide preferably should be obtained by burning scallop shells, grinding them finely, and then processing with water or by burning chicken eggshell, grinding them finely, and then processing with water.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to confectionery materials, gum, and a method for producing gum that can suppress tooth decay and periodontal disease.

Streptococcus mutans (hereinafter referred to as ``Streptococcus mutans'') is a type of Gram-positive facultative anaerobic streptococcus that exists in the human oral cavity and is one of the causative bacteria of dental caries. It's a fungus. Tooth decay occurs when Streptococcus mutans decomposes (metabolizes) sugar in plaque and creates acid, which dissolves the enamel on the tooth surface and caries the underlying dentin and cementum inside. It progresses by this.
On the other hand, Porphyromonas gingivalis (hereinafter referred to as "Gingivalis bacterium") is a Gram-negative obligate anaerobic bacillus that lives deep in the periodontal pocket where it is highly anaerobic and is a cause of chronic periodontal disease. It has become.

In order to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease, it is thought that it is important to have a habit of brushing your teeth, as well as to consume foods that reduce the number of S. mutans and S. gingivalis bacteria in the oral cavity. For example, xylitol, a synthetic sweetener, is known as a food that reduces S. mutans, but its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay has not been proven, and excessive intake can cause diarrhea, so The problem is that it is not suitable for people with weak brains.
Fluoride is also said to be effective, but due to its strong antioxidant effect, it has been pointed out that it is dangerous as a cause of cancer and cranial nerve disorders. Furthermore, oolong tea extract, pepper oil, black moji extract, etc. are also known, but the effectiveness of none of them has been proven.

Note that, as a gum for preventing dental caries, Patent Document 1 proposes a gum containing a porous carbon material having a specific pore volume.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-188402

The gum described in Patent Document 1 uses a porous carbon material to absorb and remove Streptococcus mutans, but it reduces the number of Streptococcus mutans, which causes tooth decay, and gingivalis bacteria, which causes periodontal disease. There is no mention of that.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a confectionery material, a gum, and a method for producing the gum that can more effectively suppress the occurrence of tooth decay and periodontal disease. The task is to

As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problem, the present inventor found that certain alkaline compounds, especially compounds derived from scallop shells and chicken eggshells, are effective in killing Streptococcus mutans and gingivalis bacteria. I found out that. As a result of further studies, they discovered that confectionery, especially gum, containing a specific alkaline substance in a specific method is effective in preventing tooth decay and periodontal disease, thereby completing the present invention.

That is, the present invention relates to the following [1] to [9].
[1] A confectionery material containing 0.001 to 5.0% by mass of an alkaline compound in 100% by mass of the material.
[2] The confectionery material according to [1] above, wherein the alkaline compound is calcium hydroxide.
[3] The confectionery material according to [2] above, wherein the calcium hydroxide is obtained by baking scallop shells, pulverizing them, and then treating them with water.
[4] The confectionery material according to [2] above, wherein the calcium hydroxide is obtained by baking and pulverizing chicken eggshells and then treating the same with water.
[5] The confectionery material further contains a wetting agent,
The content of the wetting agent is 70 to 150 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the alkaline compound,
The content of the alkaline compound in 100% by mass of the confectionery material is 0.01 to 3.0% by mass, and the content of the wetting agent in 100% by mass of the confectionery material is 0.01 to 3. The confectionery material according to [1] or [2] above, which has a content of .0% by mass.
[6] The confectionery material according to [5] above, which is used for sterilizing S. mutans.
[7] The confectionery material according to [5] above, which is used for sterilizing P. gingivalis bacteria.
[8] A gum using the confectionery material described in [1] or [2] above.
[9] The method for producing gum according to [8] above, comprising: mixing the alkaline compound and a humectant to prepare a caries and periodontal disease preventive component; and a step of preparing a tooth caries and periodontal disease preventive component. and mixing a gum base in this order.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention can provide the confectionery material, the gum, and the manufacturing method of the gum which can suppress the occurrence of tooth decay and periodontal disease more effectively.

3 is a diagram showing the results of Reference Example 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the results of Reference Example 2 and Comparative Reference Example 1.

[Ingredients for confectionery]
The confectionery material of the present invention is characterized by containing 0.001 to 5.0% by mass of an alkaline compound in 100% by mass of the material. By containing a specific amount of alkaline compounds in the material, it is possible to reduce the presence of Streptococcus mutans and gingivalis bacteria when confectionery made with this material is introduced into the oral cavity, resulting in excellent cavities and teeth. It is possible to obtain the effect of preventing peripheral diseases.

<Alkaline compound>
Examples of alkaline compounds that can be used in the present invention include alkaline metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide; alkaline inorganic compounds such as alkaline earth metal hydroxides such as magnesium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. Can be mentioned. Among these, alkaline earth metal hydroxides are preferred, and calcium hydroxide is more preferred.
In addition, from the viewpoint of reducing the influence on the human body while reducing S. mutans and B. gingivalis, it is preferable to change the blending amount as appropriate depending on the type of alkaline compound.

The calcium hydroxide used in the present invention is preferably one obtained by baking and pulverizing scallop shells and then treating them with water. Specifically, calcium hydroxide obtained by firing scallop shells at about 1,200° C. in a special kiln, pulverizing them, and then treating them with water is preferred.
In addition, in the present invention, from the viewpoint of more effectively suppressing the occurrence of tooth decay and periodontal disease, calcium hydroxide obtained by baking and pulverizing chicken eggshells and then treating with water is used. It is more preferable.
In the present invention, "treating with water" means treating the finely ground scallop shells or chicken egg shells so that the concentration thereof is 0.01 to 3% by mass, preferably 0.01 to 0.3% by mass. Refers to the process of dissolving (hydrating) in water, and then removing the water to obtain powdered calcium hydroxide.

A more specific method is to prepare a solution by baking scallop shells or chicken egg shells at the above temperature, dissolving (hydrating) them in water before cooling, and then drying the solution with hot air. Preferably, calcium hydroxide is obtained. With this method, the scallop shell or chicken egg shell is naturally pulverized when dissolved (hydrated) in water, which facilitates the subsequent pulverization process.

The average particle size of finely ground scallop shells and chicken egg shells is preferably 1.0 to 30.0 μm, more preferably 2.5 to 20.0 μm, and 3.5 to 10.0 μm. It is more preferable that When the average particle size of scallop shells and chicken egg shells is within the above range, the pH (pH measured as a saturated aqueous solution at 25°C) of calcium hydroxide obtained from scallop shells and chicken egg shells is 12.5 to 12.5. It has a strong alkalinity of about 13, making it possible to kill bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans and gingivalis in a short time.
In the present invention, the average particle diameter refers to the average particle size measured using a laser diffraction/scattering particle size distribution analyzer (manufactured by Horiba, Ltd., LA-920) using ion-exchanged water as the solvent, a refractive index of 1.2, and a circulation rate of 4, and refers to the value measured under the condition of 3 minutes of circulation.

In the present invention, the content of alkaline compounds in 100% by mass of the material is 0.001 to 5.0% by mass. If the content of the alkaline compound is less than 0.001% by mass, a sufficient preventive effect on tooth decay and periodontal disease cannot be obtained. On the other hand, if the content of the alkaline compound exceeds 5.0% by mass, it will affect the human body. From these viewpoints, the content of alkaline compounds in 100% by mass of the material is preferably 0.01 to 3.0% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 2.5% by mass, and 1% by mass. More preferably, the amount is .0 to 2.0% by mass.

<Other components of confectionery materials and uses of confectionery materials>
The confectionery material of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it contains the above-mentioned alkaline compound, and may contain known materials.
Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the confectionery produced using the confectionery material of the present invention, such as gum, chewing candy, soft candy, hard candy, Karinto, biscuits, crackers, rice crackers, chocolate, and jelly confectionery. These include confectionery, such as cereals, bread, cut rice cakes, processed agricultural and fishery products, etc. However, from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing tooth decay and periodontal disease, chewing gum, which stays in the oral cavity for a long time, Chewing candy is preferred.

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence and progression of tooth decay and periodontal disease, but it is also possible to reduce bacteria other than Streptococcus mutans and gingivalis, so it can be applied to foods other than sweets. We can also expect the expiry date of food products to be extended.

<Method for manufacturing confectionery materials>
There are no particular restrictions on the production of the confectionery material of the present invention, and it can be produced by mixing the above-mentioned alkaline compound, which is an essential component, with common ingredients for the desired confectionery.

[Gum]
The gum of the present invention uses the confectionery material of the present invention, and has an excellent preventive effect on tooth decay and periodontal disease as described above.
When the confectionery material of the present invention is used in gum, the confectionery material (gum material) preferably contains at least a gum base, and further contains a bulk sweetener, fat, wax, flavoring agent, wetting agent, and the like.

<Gum base>
Examples of the gum base include elastomers, vinyl polymers, resins, and the like. Examples of the elastomer that can be used in the gum base include at least one selected from chicle, crown gum, nispero, rosazinha, jelutong, perillo, niger gutta, tunyu, balata, gutta percha, reticapsi, sorba, gutta kei, and the like. Also included are butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyisobutylene, isobutylene isoprene copolymers, polyethylene, and the like.

The amount of gum base in the gum material (confectionery material) can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type of gum base used, the consistency of the gum, etc., but it is preferably 5 to 65% by mass based on 100% by mass of the material. , more preferably 10 to 55% by mass.

<Bulk sweetener>
Bulk sweeteners include sugar-based bulk sweeteners, such as sucrose (sugar), dextrose, maltose, dextrin, xylose, ribose, glucose, mannose, galactose, fructose (levulose), lactose, invert sugar, and fructooligo. At least one selected from sugar syrup, partially hydrolyzed starch, etc. can be mentioned.
The amount of bulk sweetener in the gum material (confectionery material) is preferably 10 to 85% by weight, more preferably 20 to 80% by weight based on 100% by weight of the material. When the amount of the bulk sweetener is within the above range, it is possible to impart a moderate sweetness to the produced gum, and it is preferable because it does not inhibit the caries and periodontal disease preventive effect of the alkaline compound.

<Fat>
As the fat, known vegetable fats and animal fats can be used. Examples of the vegetable fat include at least one selected from soybean, cottonseed, corn, almond, peanut, sunflower, rapeseed, olive, palm, palm kernel, illipe, shea, coconut, cocoa, cocoa butter, and the like. Examples of animal fats include milk fats such as milk fat and butter.
The amount of fat in the gum material (confectionery material) is preferably 0.5 to 30% by weight, more preferably 2 to 25% by weight based on 100% by weight of the material. When the amount of fat is within the above range, it becomes possible to prepare the gum with a suitable consistency.

<Wax>
Examples of wax include petroleum wax such as polyurethane wax, polyethylene wax, and paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, fatty wax, beeswax, vegetable wax, rice bran wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, sorbitan monostearate, tallow, and propylene glycol. At least one kind selected from the following is mentioned.
The amount of wax in the gum material (confectionery material) is preferably 0.1 to 25% by weight, more preferably 3 to 20% by weight based on 100% by weight of the material. When the amount of wax is within the above range, it becomes possible to prepare a gum with a suitable consistency.

<Flavor>
Examples of flavoring agents (fragrances, flavoring agents) include oleoresins, extracts derived from plants, leaves, flowers, fruits, and the like. Also, spearmint oil, cinnamon oil, wintergreen oil (methyl salicylate), peppermint oil, clove oil, bay oil, anise oil, eucalyptus oil, thyme oil, cedar oil, nutmeg oil, allspice, sage oil, mace, bitter tonsil. Oils such as cinnamon oil, and citrus oils including lemon, orange, lime, and grapefruit; vanilla; apple, pear, peach, grape, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, plum, pineapple, apricot, banana, melon, Fruit extracts including tropical fruits, mango, mangosteen, pomegranate, papaya; honey lemon, etc. can also be used.
The amount of flavoring agent in the gum material (confectionery material) is preferably 0.001 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 4% by mass based on 100% by mass of the material. When the amount of flavoring agent is within the above range, flavor can be imparted to the gum, thereby further improving the texture.

<Wetting agent>
The gum material (confectionery material) of the present invention may further contain a humectant. Examples of wetting agents include polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol.
Wetting agents, especially propylene glycol, play an important role in dispersing alkaline compounds into the gum base. Therefore, the content of the wetting agent is preferably 50 to 200 parts by mass, more preferably 70 to 150 parts by mass, and preferably 80 to 120 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the alkaline compound. More preferred.

In a preferred embodiment when the wetting agent is used in the gum material (confectionery material) of the present invention, the content of the wetting agent is preferably 70 to 150 parts by mass, more preferably 70 to 150 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of the alkaline compound. 80 to 120 parts by mass, and the content of the alkaline compound in 100 mass% of gum material (confectionery material) is preferably 0.01 to 3.0 mass%, more preferably 0.05 to 2.5 mass%, more preferably 1.0 to 2.0 mass%, and the content of the wetting agent in 100 mass% of the gum material (confectionery material) is preferably 0.01 to 3.0 mass%. , more preferably 0.05 to 2.5% by mass, and still more preferably 1.0 to 2.0% by mass. When the content of the alkaline compound and the wetting agent in the gum material (confectionery material) satisfies the above range, the bactericidal effect on S. mutans and Gingivalis bacteria, especially the bactericidal effect on Gingivalis bacteria, will be extremely excellent. Therefore, tooth decay and periodontal disease can be effectively prevented.

<Characteristics of confectionery materials and gum>
Since the confectionery material and gum of the present invention use the above-mentioned alkaline compound, they exhibit extremely excellent effects for sterilizing Streptococcus mutans and gingivalis.
In particular, chronic periodontitis caused by periodontal pathogenic bacteria, including B. gingivalis, is associated with diseases of other organs and organs (atherosclerosis, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, early low birth weight infant delivery, non-alcoholic It is said that there is a close relationship with fatty liver disease (fatty liver disease, etc.). The confectionery material of the present invention is also useful from the viewpoint of preventing these diseases.

Although alkaline compounds are used in the confectionery materials and gum of the present invention, no particular problem is considered to occur because the alkaline compounds do not come into contact with the skin for a long time when eating and drinking confectionery. In addition, safety has been confirmed in the results of acute oral toxicity tests using rats, mutagenicity tests, and primary skin irritation tests using rabbits.

[Gum manufacturing method]
The method for producing gum of the present invention includes a step of mixing an alkaline compound and a humectant to prepare a tooth decay and periodontal disease preventive ingredient, and a step of mixing the tooth caries and periodontal disease preventive ingredient and a gum base in this order. According to the present invention, since it is possible to uniformly mix an alkaline compound into a gum base, it is possible to more effectively prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease.

In the production method of the present invention, the alkaline compound is preferably calcium hydroxide obtained by crushing scallop shells or chicken egg shells, and the wetting agent is more preferably propylene glycol. Calcium hydroxide obtained by crushing scallop shells or chicken egg shells has a small average particle size, so it is difficult to mix into the gum base. Therefore, by preparing in advance a caries and periodontal disease preventive ingredient that is a mixture of calcium hydroxide and propylene glycol, and mixing this with a gum base, a gum uniformly containing the caries and periodontal disease preventive ingredient is manufactured. becomes possible.
Note that there are no particular restrictions on the method of mixing calcium hydroxide derived from scallop shells or chicken eggshells with propylene glycol; for example, by mixing the two in a mortar or the like, it is possible to obtain a caries and periodontal disease preventive component. become.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited by these Examples and the like.
<Example 1: Production of gum for evaluation>
A gum for evaluation was created using the following procedure.
(1) A general gum base containing no xylitol was shredded and soaked in warm water (35°C) for one day. Next, the hot water was changed and soaking was performed again for one day for a total of three days to remove the fragrance and sugar contained in the gum base.
(2) While heating the obtained gum base, a so-called sugarless sweetener such as sugar alcohol was mixed.

(3) 3 g of calcium hydroxide (average particle size 3.5 to 10 μm) obtained by finely pulverizing scallop shells and treating with water and 3 g of propylene glycol are mixed in a mortar to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease. A preventive ingredient was prepared.
(4) The caries and periodontal disease preventive ingredient obtained in (3) above and the gum base obtained in (2) above were mixed uniformly to obtain a confectionery material (gum material). . Note that the amount of calcium hydroxide in 100% by mass of the confectionery material obtained was 1.5% by mass, and the amount of propylene glycol was 1.5% by mass.
(5) After the obtained confectionery material was cooled, it was stretch-molded and cut into a sheet gum shape.

<Evaluation method>
The evaluation gum was tested for its "sterilizing effect on Streptococcus mutans" according to the following procedure.
First, using simulated saliva (purified water with a pH of 7.0: equivalent to human saliva), the gum for evaluation (20 pieces of gum, about 40 g) was made into a state similar to that of actually chewing it. Specifically, while adding simulated saliva to the gum for evaluation, crushing was repeated using a cooking utensil for about 10 minutes to obtain 100 ml of a test solution as simulated chewing saliva.
Next, Streptococcus mutans was added to the test solution, and changes in the number of viable bacteria over time were observed. The test was conducted at the Japan Food Research Center. The results are shown in Table 1.

One minute after the start of the test, it decreased by 37.5% compared to the time when the test started, and after 5 minutes, it decreased by 93.2%. After a further 15 minutes, only 0.0053% of viable bacteria existed at the start of the test. That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to significantly reduce Streptococcus mutans, and as a result, the effect of preventing dental caries and periodontal disease can be expected.

<Reference Example 1: pH evaluation of calcium hydroxide derived from chicken eggshells and calcium hydroxide derived from scallop shells>
Calcium hydroxide derived from chicken egg shells and calcium hydroxide derived from scallop shells were dissolved in pure water to prepare 1% by mass aqueous solutions of each. The pH of each aqueous solution was measured once a day using a digital pH meter "DPH-2" manufactured by Atago Co., Ltd., and changes in pH were observed. The results are shown in Figure 1.
Calcium hydroxide derived from chicken egg shells and calcium hydroxide derived from scallop shells are both obtained by baking, pulverizing, and water treatment, and the average particle size is was 3.5 to 10 μm.

As is clear from the results in Figure 1, calcium hydroxide derived from chicken eggshells has a smaller pH drop than calcium hydroxide derived from scallop shells, even after two weeks have passed since sample preparation. Maintained high alkalinity. Therefore, it is estimated that calcium hydroxide derived from chicken eggshells can suppress the occurrence of dental caries as effectively as or more than calcium hydroxide derived from scallop shells.

<Reference Example 2 and Comparative Reference Example 1: Bactericidal effect against Gingivalis bacteria>
(1) Porphyromonas gingivalis strain JCM8525 was inoculated on a Brucella Agar (BBL) plate medium supplemented with 5% horse defibrinated blood and cultured under anaerobic conditions at 35°C for 4 to 7 days.
(2) The grown bacterial cells were suspended in physiological saline to prepare a bacterial solution containing 10 ⁸ to 10 ⁹ cells/mL. That is, a bacterial solution containing 100 million to 1 billion bacteria in 1 mL of solution was prepared.
(3) 0.1 mL of the bacterial solution prepared in the above method was added to 10 mL of simulated masticated saliva. (This operation diluted the bacterial solution 100 times.)

(4) The mixture was further diluted 10 times using SCDLP medium.
(5) A mixed solution (Reference Example 2) of the test solution (test solution consisting of calcium hydroxide derived from scallop shells and chicken eggshells [pH 12.5]) and the above bacterial solution was heated at room temperature. It was allowed to stand for 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 15 minutes. As Comparative Reference Example 1, physiological saline containing no P. gingivalis bacteria was prepared in the same manner.

(6) For the specimen of Reference Example 2, samples were collected after 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 15 minutes after the elapsed time, and the number of viable bacteria was measured. In Comparative Reference Example 1, samples were taken at the start of the test and 15 minutes later, and the number of viable bacteria was measured. The results are shown in Table 2 and FIG. 2. The test was conducted at the Japan Food Research Center.

In both Reference Example 2 and Comparative Reference Example 1, 1.5 x 10 ⁶ bacteria (approximately 1.5 million bacteria were present in 1 mL solution) were growing immediately after the start of the test, but in Reference Example 2, 1.5 The number of viable bacteria was less than 100 (below the detection limit), and the number of viable bacteria after 5 minutes and 15 minutes was also less than 100 (below the detection limit).
In other words, it is presumed that according to the present invention, the target gingivalis bacteria can be rapidly sterilized, and the effect can be maintained even after 15 minutes.
On the other hand, in Comparative Reference Example 1 (physiological saline), the number of bacteria from 1.5 x 10 ⁶ decreased slightly to 2.3 x 10 ⁵ after 15 minutes, but this was because Gingivalis bacteria were obligate. Since it is an anaerobic bacterium, it is thought that the decrease was due to exposure to oxygen during operation.

Claims (9)

A confectionery material characterized by containing 0.001 to 5.0% by mass of an alkaline compound in 100% by mass of the material. Confectionery material according to claim 1, wherein the alkaline compound is calcium hydroxide. 3. The confectionery material according to claim 2, wherein the calcium hydroxide is obtained by baking scallop shells, pulverizing them, and then treating them with water. 3. The confectionery material according to claim 2, wherein the calcium hydroxide is obtained by baking and pulverizing eggshells of chicken eggs and then treating the same with water. The confectionery material further contains a humectant,
The content of the wetting agent is 70 to 150 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the alkaline compound,
The content of the alkaline compound in 100% by mass of the confectionery material is 0.01 to 3.0% by mass, and the content of the wetting agent in 100% by mass of the confectionery material is 0.01 to 3. The confectionery material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the confectionery material is .0% by mass. The confectionery material according to claim 5, which is used for sterilizing S. mutans. The confectionery material according to claim 5, which is used for sterilizing P. gingivalis bacteria. A gum using the confectionery material according to claim 1 or 2. 9. The method for producing gum according to claim 8, comprising: mixing the alkaline compound and a humectant to prepare a caries and periodontal disease preventive component; and mixing the tooth caries and periodontal disease preventive component and the gum base. A method for producing gum, comprising the steps of: