JP3280179B2 - Flavor improver and food and drink with improved flavor - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flavor improving agent which enhances or improves the flavor of foods and drinks by adding the same to foods and drinks, and to a food and drink having an improved flavor containing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the field of food and drink, products having various functions have been developed in response to health requirements and the like.

[0003] However, since these foods and drinks are focused on functionality, the taste and taste of natural foods are lost due to the inherent flavors, and the tastes are uncomfortable. Properties tend to decrease. For example, in dairy products,
Low-fat products are desired for health reasons, and a number of products that meet this requirement have been developed.However, these products lack the taste components such as fat-rich body and richness. There are many things.

[0004] Conventionally, as a method of improving the decrease in palatability, for example, in the case of ice cream, the ratio of components such as fat, non-fat milk solids, sugar, a stabilizer, total solids, etc. is changed, and flavor is added. And so on.

A flavor often added to dairy products is vanilla flavor. Vanilla flavor is
By heating the vanilla pods, increasing the activity of the enzymes possessed by the vanilla itself, promoting ripening, and drying, the fragrance component is extracted from the resulting vanilla beans through a process called curing. is there. The freshly harvested vanilla pods are green and unscented, and are cured to give chocolate-colored vanilla beans a vanilla-based vanilla-specific scent. Encyclopedia "(June 25, 1989), Asakura Shoten Co., Ltd., pages 311 to 313).

[0006] The above-mentioned foods and drinks having characteristics such as low fat and low sugar which are required for health have a problem in terms of palatability. Therefore, the composition of the foods is changed, and the addition of flavors such as vanilla flavor is added. Have attempted to solve this problem.

[0007] However, all of these methods only improve the scent on the surface, and are not always satisfactory.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a novel flavor improving agent which satisfies the taste of foods and drinks, including low-fat products, and a food and drink with improved flavor. I do.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors have focused on vanilla, which is a raw material of vanilla flavor often added to dairy products. The conventionally used raw material was vanilla beans that had been cured as described above, but the present inventors have expanded the scope of their research to raw pods that have not been cured, and extracted this with a polar solvent. When the obtained extract was added to various foods and drinks, it was found that flavors such as body taste and richness were enhanced or improved, and the present invention was completed.

That is, the present invention is as follows. (1) A flavor improving agent containing an extract obtained by extracting raw pods of vanilla with a polar solvent. (2) The extract is 2- (1-methylpropyl) tartaric acid
Bis-4- (β-D-glucopyranosyloxy) benzy
Bis-4-isopropyl tartrate (β-D-glu
Copyranosyloxy) benzyl and glucovanillin
Is an extract containing three types of glycosides as main components
2. The flavor improving agent according to the above item 1, wherein (3) The extract according to the above item 1 or the extract according to the above item 2
Bis-4- (1-methylpropyl) tartrate
-Glucopyranosyloxy) benzyl, 2-isopropyl
Bis-4-tartrate (β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)
B) Three types of glycosides, benzyl and glucovanillin
Extract containing as a main component, and 0.0001 wt% compounded food which flavor is improved.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. The raw pods of vanilla, which is a raw material of the flavor improver of the present invention, are Vanill
a planifolia, Vanilla tahitiense or Vanilla pomp
As long as it is a green raw pod of a plant belonging to ona, its production area and variety can be used without any particular limitation. As used herein, the term "pod" refers to a fruit that has blossomed, is (artificially) pollinated, and has set fruit. In the present invention, a seed that contains seeds (beans) is used as it is. Vanilla pods mature over about 6 to 8 months after fruiting, but in the present invention, pods harvested at any time can be used as long as they are pods after fruiting. Usually, pods at maturity reach a length of about 23-25 cm, but about 15-20 cm about 2-3 months after fruiting.
It is particularly preferred in the present invention to use pods grown to about 15-20 cm, since the extract of pods of length has the highest flavor enhancing and improving effect.

The extraction method is not particularly limited as long as it is an ordinary method for extracting plant components. Preferred examples will be described below.

[0013] Vanilla pods are cut to an appropriate size and used to enhance extraction efficiency. Preferably, after cutting into a size of about 1 cm square, it may be further pulverized using a homogenizer or a mixer.

About 3 to 10 times the amount of the extraction solvent is added to the cut pod, and the mixture is heated at room temperature to a temperature at which the extraction solvent can be refluxed, and the mixture is extracted with stirring or refluxing for about 4 to 12 hours.

[0015] The extraction solvent is not particularly limited as long as it is a polar solvent. Specifically, water, methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone and the like can be used alone or in combination. It is particularly preferable to use water, methanol or ethanol alone or as a mixture.

After the extraction, the extract is filtered, if necessary,
Then, under reduced pressure of about 10 to 40 mmHg, about 40 to 60 ° C
And the desired extract can be obtained as a brown solid.

The extract thus obtained may have chlorophyll or blue odor depending on the extraction method. In such a case, it is preferable to remove these by column chromatography.

As packing materials for column chromatography, Amberlite (registered trademark of Rohm and Haas Company) XAD-2, XAD-4, XAD-7, XAD-8 of Organo Co., Ltd.
Duolite (Rohm and Haas registered trademark) S-30, ES-33, S by Diamond Shamrock Chemical
-37, Diaion (Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) HP-10, HP-20, HP-21, HP-40 of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, KS, HS, AF, L-1 of Hokuetsu Carbon Industry Co., Ltd. It is preferable to use a porous resin such as Preferably, the pore size is between 100 and 200
About 樹脂 resin, particularly preferably Amberlite XAD-2, may be used.

A column tube is filled with these resins, the extract is adsorbed, unnecessary substances such as chlorophyll and blue odor are removed with ion-exchanged water and, if necessary, a non-polar organic solvent. To elute the desired extract. Non-polar organic solvents used here include n-pentane, n
And hydrocarbons such as hexane. Examples of the polar organic solvent include alcohols such as methanol and ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone and the like.

The obtained eluate is washed with about 10 to 40 mmHg
By concentrating at about 40 to 60 ° C. under reduced pressure, the target extract can be obtained as a pale brown almost odorless and bitter solid.

Since the obtained extract is to be incorporated into food and drink, it is not sufficiently extracted and eluted with a solvent such as methanol whose residual concentration in food and drink is restricted. Concentrate to remove solvent completely. Further, when the extract is obtained as a lump by a concentration means or the like, when it is used as a flavor improving agent or food or drink, it may be pulverized into a powder.

The extract thus obtained contains, as main components, bis-4- (β-D-glucopyranosyloxy) benzyl 2- (1-methylpropyl) tartrate shown in Chemical formula 1, Bis-4-tartrate bis-4- (β
-D-glucopyranosyloxy) benzyl, and
(1) contains three types of glycosides of glucovanillin. These glycosides are completely different from the conventionally used vanilla flavor (K. Tokoro et al., Flavor Sci. Technol., Weurman Symp.,
6th (1990), edited by Y. Bessire et al., Wiley, Chichester
(English), pp.73-76).

[0023]

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[0024]

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[0025]

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The vanilla pod extract thus obtained can be added as it is to a food or drink to provide a flavor improving agent for enhancing or improving the flavor of the food or drink. Further, depending on the use, it can be diluted with water or an aqueous ethanol solution, or blended with other ingredients such as flavors to form a flavor improver, which can be added to foods and drinks. This flavor improving agent can be blended without any particular limitation as long as it is a component used in ordinary food flavors.

The content of the extract of vanilla pods in this flavor improver is not particularly limited, and the amount of the extract of vanilla pods added to various foods and drinks should be noted. Good. The amount of the addition varies slightly depending on the type of food and drink, but the amount of the vanilla pod extract is about 0.0001 to 1% by weight, preferably about 0.0001%, based on the food and drink.
-0.05% by weight, more preferably about 0.002-0.
The content may be in the range of 01% by weight. About 0.00
When the amount is less than 01% by weight, the effect of adding the flavor improving agent is not so significant. When the amount is more than about 1% by weight, the bitterness of the vanilla pod extract itself is considerably felt.

The method of adding the flavor improving agent of the present invention to various foods and drinks is not limited at all, and may be added by any means and uniformly mixed as required.

The food or drink to be added is not particularly limited, but in particular, food or drink which is expected to enhance or improve flavors such as body taste, creamy feeling and richness, such as dairy products , The flavor improving effect of the present invention is remarkable. Specific examples include milk, processed milk, coffee milk, various drinks such as lactic acid bacteria drinks, soups such as potage soup, cheese, butter, margarine, foods such as whipped cream, milk chocolate, caramel, biscuits, cakes, Confectioneries such as bavarois, frozen desserts such as ice cream, and the like can be given.

[0030]

The extract of vanilla pods itself is quite bitter, but by adding the flavor improver of the present invention to various foods and drinks, the kokumi and creamy flavors originally possessed by the foods and drinks can be obtained. Preferred flavors such as texture and richness can be enhanced or improved, and the commercial value of these foods and drinks can be significantly increased.

For example, in the case of frozen desserts, so-called high-grade ice cream containing plenty of milk is delicious and popular because of its voluminousness and richness, but it is often avoided because of its high fat content. . On the other hand, lacto ices with a low content of milk are preferable on health,
Lack of fat and lacks rich taste and richness. By adding the flavor improver of the present invention to such lactoices, it is possible to enhance or improve the body taste and richness,
Despite the low fat content, it can approach the taste of fine ice cream. That is, it is possible to provide products that are favorable both in health and taste.

[0032]

EXAMPLES The production method of the flavor improving agent of the present invention, its addition to various foods and drinks, and the effect of improving the flavor of the flavor improving agent of the present invention will be specifically described below as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Not something.

[0033]

Example 1 15-20 cm vanilla raw pods 100
g was cut into 1 cm squares, 300 ml of methanol was added thereto, and the mixture was pulverized with a mixer and extracted with stirring at room temperature. After overnight extraction, insoluble matter such as fibrous material was removed by filtration through a filter paper, and then concentrated at 50 ° C. under a reduced pressure of 20 mmHg to obtain 4.4 g of a brown solid.

[0034] The obtained solid was deionized water (100 ml).
Amberlite XAD-2
(Porous resin manufactured by Organo Corporation, 400 ml of n-pentane, 400 ml of ethanol, 400 ml of methanol in advance
200 ml of water and 600 ml of ion-exchanged water in this order).
It was washed with 00 ml and then further with 400 ml of n-pentane to remove chlorophyll and blue odor. Then
Elute with 400 ml of ethanol.
g under reduced pressure at 50 ° C. to give 0.75 g of the desired vanilla pod extract as a brown powder (yield 0.75 g).
%).

[0035]

[Example 2] 15 to 20 cm of raw pods of vanilla 100
g was cut into 1 cm squares, and water: methanol = 1: 1
(Volume ratio) 600 ml of the mixed solution was added, and the mixture was pulverized by a mixer and extracted while refluxing. After extraction for 8 hours, insoluble matter such as fibrous material was removed by filtration through a filter paper, and then 20 mm
Concentrate at 50 ° C. under reduced pressure of Hg to give 6.9 g of a brown solid
I got

[0036] The obtained solid substance was deionized water (100 ml).
Amberlite XAD-2
(Organo Co., Ltd., porous resin, 400 ml of n-pentane, 400 ml of ethanol,
200 ml of water and 600 ml of ion-exchanged water successively), and the non-adsorbed material was washed with 600 ml of ion-exchanged water and then 400 m of n-pentane.
1 to further remove chlorophyll and blue odor. Then, the mixture was eluted with 400 ml of ethanol.
The extract was concentrated at 45 ° C. under a reduced pressure of mmHg to obtain 0.95 g of the desired vanilla pod extract as a brown powder (yield: 0.3 g).
95%).

Next, examples in which the extract obtained in Example 1 was directly added to various foods and drinks as a flavor improving agent will be described.

[0038]

Examples 3 to 6 The flavor improvers obtained in Example 1 were added to commercially available low-fat milk at various ratios shown in Table 1.

Regarding these flavors, four flavorists (Flavorist (creator of food flavors), Motoichi Indo, "Practical knowledge of flavors" (March 25, 1975), published by Toyo Keizai Shimpo, p. 205) Are shown in Table 1 together with the results of evaluation compared with the flavor before adding the flavor improver.

Further, the milk of Example 4 to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added and the milk without the flavor improving agent were combined into one set.
Point discrimination method (a method in which samples A and B are presented as blind samples to determine which is more characteristic; Shin Sato, "Introduction to Sensory Testing" (October 16, 1978) Nisshin Giren Publishing Co., Ltd. Company, see pages 52-53), 30 panelists selected those who felt the taste to be more intense. As a result, 20 people found that milk to which the flavor improver of the present invention was added had more intense taste. Was answered. That is, when tested according to the binomial distribution (Sato Shin, "Introduction to Sensory Testing" (October 16, 1978), published by Nisshin Giren Publishing Co., Ltd., pp. 32-44), the flavor improving agent of the present invention was significantly found. It was found that the milk to which the milk was added was identified as having a richer taste.

[0041]

Example 7 The flavor improver obtained in Example 1 was added to a commercially available corn potage soup at a ratio of 0.002% by weight.

The soup to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention has been added and the soup to which no flavor has been added are made into a set, and the two-point identification method is used.
As a result of having 50 panelists select those who felt the body taste better, 32 persons answered that the soup to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added felt the body taste better. That is, when tested by binomial distribution, it was found that the soup to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added was significantly identified as having a body taste.

[0043]

Example 8 The flavor improver obtained in Example 1 was added to a commercially available canned coffee at a ratio of 0.002% by weight.

A set of canned coffee to which the flavor improver of the present invention was added and canned coffee to which no flavor was added were selected by 30 panelists by the two-point discrimination method. As a result, 21 persons answered that the canned coffee to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added had a stronger body taste. That is, when tested by binomial distribution, it was found that canned coffee to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added was significantly identified as having a body taste.

[0045]

Example 9 The flavor improver obtained in Example 1 was added at a ratio of 0.002% by weight to a commercially available sugar-free yogurt.

The yogurt to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added and the yogurt to which no flavor was added were used as a set, and 50 persons who felt that the taste was more rich were selected by the two-point identification method. And 32 responded that the taste of yogurt to which the flavor improver of the present invention was added was richer. That is, when tested by binomial distribution, it was found that the yogurt to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added was significantly identified as having a richer taste.

[0047]

Example 10 According to the recipe shown in Table 2, lactoice to which the flavor improver obtained in Example 1 was added and lactoice to which no flavor was added were produced according to a conventional method.

A pair of lacto ice to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added and lacto ice to which no flavor was added were made into a set, and 40 panelists were selected by the two-point discrimination method to feel more sweet and rich in taste. As a result, 27 persons answered that the lacto ice to which the flavor improving agent of the present invention was added had a richer taste as being sweeter. That is, 2
Tested by term distribution, it was found that the lactoice to which the flavor improver of the present invention had been added was significantly identified as exhibiting a sweet, thick, and rich taste.

[0049]

[Table 1]

[0050]

[Table 2]

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References Table 6-6-502685 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A23L 1/22-1/237 A23L 1 / twenty four

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A flavor improving agent comprising an extract obtained by extracting raw pods of vanilla with a polar solvent. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extract is 2- (1-methylpropyl).
Bis-4-tartrate (β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)
Benzyl, bis-4-tartrate bis-4- (β-D
-Glucopyranosyloxy) benzyl and glucova
Extract containing three kinds of glycosides of nirin as main components
The flavor improving agent according to claim 1, wherein 3. The extract according to claim 1 or the extract according to claim 2.
Bis-4- (1-methylpropyl) tartaric acid
D-glucopyranosyloxy) benzyl, 2-isopro
Bis-4-pyrutartrate (β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)
B) Three types of glycosides, benzyl and glucovanillin
Extract containing as a main component, and 0.0001 wt% compounded food which flavor is improved.