JP7321503B2 - Inulin-containing muscle mass decrease inhibitor or bone density decrease inhibitor - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an inulin-containing agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss. The present invention also relates to a composition for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss containing the agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss.

With the 2025 problem, when about 8 million baby boomers (born between 1947 and 1949) will become elderly in the later stages of life, increasing healthy life expectancy is drawing attention. In order to maintain a long healthy life expectancy, the concept of locomotive syndrome (hereinafter sometimes referred to as locomotive syndrome) is widely recognized, together with measures against diseases such as arteriosclerosis and dementia. According to the Japanese Orthopedic Society, which advocated this concept, locomotive syndrome is a common name for locomotory syndrome, in which functions such as "standing" and "walking" (moving functions) decline due to the deterioration of locomotory organs such as bones, joints, and muscles. It is said to be in a state of It is known that bone mass and muscle mass, which are important for maintaining the health of locomotive organs, decrease or decrease with age.

Disorders that cause locomotive syndrome include osteoporosis and bone fractures in bones, osteoarthritis in joints, and sarcopenia in nerves and muscles. Osteoporosis tends to cause fractures and osteoarthritis, and is a very important disease in locomotive syndrome. According to the NIH Consensus Conference 2000, it is defined as "a skeletal disorder characterized by decreased bone strength and predisposed to an increased risk of fracture", and decreased bone density in the lumbar spine, femur, radius, or metacarpal bones. It is one standard. Sarcopenia indicates a decrease in muscle mass due to aging, and is regarded as a very important disease when considering the healthy life expectancy of the elderly. Its diagnosis is based on walking speed, decreased skeletal muscle mass, and decreased grip strength.

In recent years, with the enactment of systems such as foods for specified health uses and foods with function claims, there has been a great deal of interest in foods with health claims and food materials having such functions. Supplements, so-called health foods, are also frequently used among the elderly.

Dietary fiber is one of such supplements or health food materials. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends 20 g of dietary fiber per day for adult men and 18 g per day for adult women. . The physiological functions of dietary fiber include intestinal regulation. According to the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in 2016, 24.5 males and 45.7 females complained of constipation or constipation tendency per 1,000 population, and constipation is a common symptom. Looking at the ratio by age group, the proportion of women is high up to the middle-aged age group. However, as the age increases, the ratio of men increases, and the gender gap disappears in the 80s. Constipation in the elderly is thought to be caused by factors such as age-related decline in food intake, ADL (activities of daily living), and decline in physiological functions. fibers. Dietary fiber is roughly divided into insoluble dietary fiber and water-soluble dietary fiber.

There is a high demand for using dietary fiber as a supplement for the elderly and as a health food ingredient. However, it is said that excessive intake of some dietary fibers inhibits the absorption of calcium from the intestine with regard to bone mass, and the effect of dietary fiber on muscle mass is not necessarily clear. The evaluation of dietary fiber in terms of this was low.

The relationship between sarcopenia and dietary fiber is unclear. In Non-Patent Document 1, when elderly people evaluated as frail were given 6.9 g per day of a mixture of fructo-oligosaccharide and inulin at a ratio of approximately 1:1, the anti-fatigue index and dominant hand grip strength were significantly improved. However, there is no difference in the grip strength of the non-dominant hand. As the cause of this, as described in Non-Patent Document 2, it is known that the feeling of fatigue affects various physiological phenomena and muscle strength.

The fact that dietary fiber promotes the absorption of minerals was already found in the late 1980s. Patent Document 1 discloses a food or drink containing dietary fiber, calcium and maltitol, but calcium is added to suppress the mineral absorption inhibitory action that some dietary fibers are said to exhibit. be. However, in Non-Patent Document 3, which uses indigestible dextrin, which has been found to promote absorption of calcium in animal experiments, 13.5 g/day of dietary fiber is recommended for elderly prediabetic patients with an average age of 60 years or older. No significant difference was observed in the calcaneus acoustic bone index (OSI) after feeding. The mechanism of the action of dietary fiber to promote mineral absorption has not been fully elucidated, and the effect of dietary fiber on bones has also not been fully elucidated.

Inulin is a dietary fiber that is recognized to promote calcium absorption. In Non-Patent Document 4, similarly, oligofructose (average degree of polymerization 4) and inulin with a long chain length (average degree of polymerization 25) were ingested at a ratio of 1:1 to 8 g / day and 800 mg / day or less of calcium. It has been confirmed to promote calcium absorption and increase bone density in adults (11.8±0.2 years old on average). According to the recommended amount of Ca by age compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the period when bone mass is most accumulated is 13 to 16 years old for boys and 11 to 14 years old for girls, and the difference with the elderly is large. In fact, in Non-Patent Document 5, in a test in which elderly women were ingested 8 g/day of chicory inulin (chain length range 2-60, average chain length 10) (the daily calcium intake of the subject was about 500 mg/day). A significant effect was confirmed on mineral absorption, but no significant difference was confirmed on bone density and bone turnover markers.

Similarly, in Non-Patent Document 6, the ratio of oligofructose (chain length range 3-8, average chain length 4) and long chain inulin (chain length range 10-65, average chain length 25) to 1:1 When 10 g/day of the mixture was given to elderly women, a significant difference was observed in promoting the absorption of calcium and magnesium. However, in terms of bone metabolism markers, although there was a difference from the period before intake, there was no significant difference from placebo. and its effect is unclear. The T-score is one of the diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis.

Non-Patent Document 7 confirms that when elderly women were given 3.6 g/day of fructo-oligosaccharide (chain length range of 2 to 4) and 800 mg/day of calcium, bone density increased significantly. The results of Non-Patent Document 7 are considered to mean that fructo-oligosaccharides, which are low-chain length moieties of inulin, exhibit a more pronounced effect on bone density than long-chain inulin.

JP H5-67

2016 Jun; 17(6): 932-. Buigues C et. al. Effect of a Prebiotic Formulation on Frailty Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Physical Fitness Science 2000 49, 495-502. Yoshinori Nagasawa et al. Relationship between physical strength during sustained grip strength and subjective muscle fatigue Tokushima Bunri University Research Bulletin No. 87 March 2014 Chika Miyazaki et al. Effects of indigestible dextrin load on indices related to diabetes and osteoporosis Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Aug; 82(2): 471-6. Abrams SA et al. A combination of prebiotic short- and long-chain inulin-type fructans enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization in young adolescents. Nutritional Sciences, 7(3), 2004,151-157. Y.Y. Kim et al. The effect of chicory fructan fiber on calcium absorption and bone metabolism in Korean postmenopausal women. British Journal of Nutrition. (2007), 97, 365-372. Leah H et al. Effects of oligofructose-enriched inulin on intestinal absorption of calcium and magnesium and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women. 2014, 144(3), 297-303. Mary M. Slevin et al. Supplementation with Calcium and Short-Chain Fructo-Oligosaccharides Affects Markers of Bone Turnover but Not Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women. Heymsfield SB, Smith R, Aulet M, Bensen B, Lichtman S, Wang J and Pierson R.J Jr (1990)Appendicular skeletal muscle mass: measurement by dual-photon absorptiometry. Am J Clin Nutr 52: 214-218. Wang ZM, Visser M, Ma R, Baumgartner RN, Kotler D, Gallagher D, Heymsfield S.B (1996) Skeletal muscle mass: evaluation of neutron activation and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry methods. J Appl Physiol 80: 824-831. Zhao Chen, ZiMian Wang, Timothy Lohman, Steven B. Heymsfield, Eric Outwater, Jennifer S. Nicholas, Tamsen Bassford, Andrea LaCroix, Duane Sherrill, Mark Punyanitya, Guanglin Wu, and Scott Going (2007) Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Is a Valid Tool for Assessing Skeletal Muscle Mass in Older Women J. Nutr. 137: 2775-2780

Dietary fiber has a low laxative effect, has an intestinal regulation effect, and can be used in general foods. If dietary fiber has the function of preventing locomotive syndrome, it is clear that it can contribute to improving the QOL of the elderly. As a result of intensive research, the inventors discovered that inulin intake suppresses the decrease in lean mass and lean soft tissue mass, and that inulin intake suppresses the decrease in bone mineral density, thus completing the present invention. Arrived.

Specifically, the present invention is as follows.
<1> An agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss, comprising inulin as an active ingredient.
<2> The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss according to <1>, wherein the dose of inulin is 3.6 g or more and 8 g or less per day.
<3> The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss according to <1> or <2>, for administration or ingestion during a period of exercise.
<4> The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss according to any one of <1> to <3>, for administration or ingestion to elderly people aged 65 and over.
<5> Suppression of muscle mass decrease or suppression of bone density decrease according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the dose of the fructo-oligosaccharide component having a chain length of 4 or less is 3.6 g or less per day. agent.
<6> The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss according to any one of <1> to <5>, which is for preventing locomotive syndrome.
<7> A composition for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss, containing the agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss according to any one of <1> to <6>.
<8> For suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss suppression according to <7>, which is a food composition for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss, or a beverage composition for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss Composition.

The food having locomotive syndrome prevention function in the present invention has high versatility that can be widely applied to food and drink in general by using inulin as an active ingredient. In addition, the intestinal regulation effect of inulin can be expected to help maintain health and prevent diseases in addition to preventing locomotive syndrome. Inulin that can be used in the present invention is contained in wheat, Asteraceae plants, and the like, and is a substance that has been eaten for a long time. In addition, it is highly safe to the human body and can be taken continuously for a long period of time without worrying about side effects.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing changes in body composition due to inulin intake, rowing exercise, or inulin intake and rowing exercise. FIG. 1 is a graph showing changes in bone density due to inulin intake, rowing exercise, or inulin intake and rowing exercise.

(inulin)
As used herein, inulin is a fructan polymer represented by GFn (G: glucose, F: fructose, n: number of fructose (n≧2)), and two or more D molecules are present on the fructose side of sucrose. - has a structure in which fructose is dehydrated and polymerized with a β-(2→1) bond. Inulin is usually sold as aggregates with different degrees of polymerization. For example, plant-derived inulin is known to have a degree of polymerization distribution in the range of about 8 to 60, and an average degree of polymerization of about 30, although there are some differences depending on the type of plant. . Inulin used in the present invention preferably has an average degree of polymerization of 5 or more and 30 or less. The inulin used in the present invention desirably has a low content of low polymers (inulin having an average degree of polymerization of 4 or less), specifically, the proportion of inulin used in the whole is 5% or less. From the viewpoint of solubility and flavor, the inulin used in the present invention is preferably purified by enzymatically acting on sugar. In addition, the proportion of fructo-oligosaccharides, which are inulin low polymers (average degree of polymerization of 4 or less), in the total inulin is 50% or less, preferably 40% or less, more preferably 40% or less, from the viewpoint of maintaining flavor and maintaining low hygroscopicity. is 30% or less, more preferably 20% or less, and most preferably 10% or less.

The inulin used in the present invention is not particularly limited to those extracted from plants, those chemically synthesized, those produced by enzymes, etc., and can be derived from any source and has an intestinal function. It is possible to exhibit the improvement effect of. When focusing on the degree of polymerization of inulin, the properties differ depending on the degree of polymerization. Low polymers (especially with a degree of polymerization of 4 or less) exhibit a sweet taste, while high polymers (especially with a degree of polymerization of 30 or more) are difficult to dissolve in water. ing. Therefore, the distribution of the degree of polymerization affects processing characteristics, taste and texture. Therefore, it is desirable that the average degree of polymerization is 5 or more and 30 or less and that the low polymer content is small, specifically 5% or less based on the inulin used.

Inulin used in the present invention can be analyzed by known methods. For example, the AOAC999.03 method, which is a method for measuring fructans, is a method for measuring fructans in food by treating with an enzyme and measuring spectrophotometry. The AOAC997.08 method is a method for measuring fructans in foods by treating them with enzymes and analyzing them by cation exchange chromatography. When measuring as a water-soluble dietary fiber, an enzymatic HPLC method can also be used.
Inulin can also be analyzed by a known method for measuring the degree of polymerization. For example, in the AOAC997.03 method, the average degree of polymerization can be obtained by measuring the quantitative ratio of glucose and fructose before and after treatment with an enzyme. The GPC method (gel permeation chromatography), also called SEC or GFP, is widely used as a method for measuring the molecular weight of polymers. This method can also measure the molecular weight of inulin, ie the degree of polymerization. In addition, the degree of polymerization can be measured by various methods such as a method using light scattering, a nuclear magnetic resonance method (NMR), and a method using physical phenomena such as viscosity, vapor pressure and freezing point depression.

The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention can contain dietary fibers other than inulin, such as indigestible dextrin, within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention, but does not have to. .

(Dose per day)
In the present invention, the administration or intake of inulin per day is preferably 3.6 g or more and 8 g or less. The lower limit is preferably 4.0 g/day or more, more preferably 4.5 g/day or more.
The upper limit is preferably 7.5 g / day or less, more preferably 7.0 g / day or less, even more preferably 6.5 g / day or less, even more preferably 6.0 g / day or less, most preferably 5.5 g / day or less. preferable.
A specific range is preferably 4.0 g/day or more and 7.5 g/day or less, more preferably 4.5 g/day or more and 7.0 g/day or less, and still more preferably 4.5 g/day. 6.5 g/day or more, more preferably 4.5 g/day or more and 6.0 g/day or less, most preferably 4.5 g/day or more and 5.5 g/day or less. A lower daily dose or intake of inulin is preferred as it can reduce the number of subjects complaining of abdominal bloating and expand the range of inulin-containing foods and beverages.
The above dose is a daily dose, and may be taken in several doses, for example, in the morning, afternoon and evening, but is preferably taken or administered in a single dose. The administration or intake period is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 month or longer, more preferably 2 months or longer, and most preferably 3 months or longer.

Fructo-oligosaccharide, which is an inulin low polymer (average degree of polymerization of 4 or less), can be ingested together with inulin, but it is also possible not to ingest it. The daily dose of fructooligosaccharide is, for example, 6.0 g/day or less, 5.5 g/day or less, 5.0 g/day or less, 4.5 g/day or less, 4.0 g/day or less, 3.6 g/day or less. day or less, or 3.0 g/day or less. Since fructo-oligosaccharides have a sweet taste, administration of a large amount of fructo-oligosaccharides together with inulin to foods and the like may affect the flavor of the foods and the like, which is not preferable.

(subject)
The muscle mass loss suppression or bone density loss suppression agent of the present invention is for administration or ingestion to humans, and is preferably administered or administered to elderly people aged 65 or over, more preferably women aged 65 or over. It is for ingestion. The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention is preferably administered or ingested to subjects who exercise at least three times a week.

As used herein, "during exercise" means that the subject taking or receiving inulin is exercising at least three times each week. It is preferable to ingest or administer inulin to those who have been continuously exercising at least three times a week for three months or longer. "Exercise" in the present invention may be aerobic exercise and resistance exercise, and examples of aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, aerobic dance, exercise, and various ball games. Resistance exercise is an exercise in which resistance is applied to the target muscles repeatedly, and resistance exercises such as squats, push-ups, and dumbbell exercises can be performed at home or using equipment at a training gym. There are no particular restrictions on things.

Among them, rowing (rowing a boat), which has the characteristics of both aerobic exercise and resistance exercise, is one of the most effective exercises, and can be done safely at home without special equipment by using a training tube. be able to. Estimated from the METs table of the National Institute of Health and Nutrition, rowing exercise is an exercise with about METs of 4.8. In the examples, the subjects exercised three times a week for about 8 to 10 minutes each time. This is considered equivalent to approximately 19 minutes of resistance exercise such as light muscle training at METs 2.5 and approximately 13 minutes of aerobic exercise such as light walking at METs 3.8. In the present invention, exercise is preferably aerobic exercise equivalent to METs 4.8 for 10 minutes or more and resistance exercise equivalent to METs 4.8 for 10 minutes or more per week. In the present invention, it is preferable to exercise aerobic exercise equivalent to METs 2.5 for 19 minutes or more and resistance exercise equivalent to METs 3.8 for 13 minutes or more per week. “MET” is an abbreviation for Metabolic Equivalent, and is a unit indicating exercise intensity.
The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention is preferably ingested or administered to subjects who exercise three or more times a week. More preferably, the agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention performs resistance exercise with an intensity of METs of 4.8 or more and aerobic exercise with an intensity of METs of 4.8 or more for 10 minutes each. It is intended to be ingested or administered to a subject who performs the above. Since rowing for 10 minutes or more corresponds to performing both resistance exercise and aerobic exercise for 10 minutes or more, it is preferable that the administration subject performs rowing as exercise.

(Muscle mass decrease inhibitor or bone density decrease inhibitor)
As used herein, “inhibition of muscle mass loss” means prevention of loss of muscle fibers that make up muscle and/or loss of muscle mass evaluated by cross-sectional area of muscle and its integrated value. As used herein, "muscle loss" refers to loss of muscle mass due to diseases such as muscular dystrophy and pathological sarcopenia, age-related sarcopenia, age-related loss of muscle mass due to frailty, etc., and lifestyle habits such as lack of exercise. Includes all of the underlying muscle mass loss. The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention can be used for preventing muscular dystrophy, disease sarcopenia, age-related sarcopenia, and frailty. The muscle mass preferably means the muscle mass in the whole body, but it is not excluded that it means the muscle mass in specific parts such as the legs. “Sarcopenia” is a condition in which muscle mass is reduced, resulting in muscle weakness and deterioration in physical function, and elderly people often suffer from it.
As used herein, “inhibition of bone density loss” means prevention of bone density loss due to aging, nutritional status, hormonal balance, and the like. As used herein, the term “bone density loss” refers to all bone density loss due to aging due to menopause, hormonal balance changes, etc., and bone density loss caused by lifestyle habits such as extreme dieting, lack of exercise, and smoking. including. The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention can prevent diseases caused by a decrease in bone density such as osteoporosis due to various factors such as aging, menopause, extreme dieting, lack of exercise, and smoking. .
The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention preferably has both actions of suppressing muscle mass loss and bone density loss.

(Locomotive syndrome)
The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention can be used for preventing locomotive syndrome. Locomotive syndrome means "a state in which movement function is reduced due to a disorder of locomotive organs." , joints, ligaments, tendons, nerves, etc. The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss or bone density loss of the present invention can be administered to or taken by elderly people aged 65 or older who have locomotive syndrome.

Examples of food compositions or beverage compositions having muscle mass reduction inhibitory activity or bone density reduction inhibitory activity in the present invention include carbonated beverages, various fruit juices, fruit juice beverages, soft drinks containing fruit juice, fruit beverages, and fruit beverages containing fruit granules. , vegetable drinks containing various vegetables, soymilk/soymilk drinks, coffee drinks, tea drinks, powdered drinks, concentrated drinks, sports drinks, general drinks such as nutritional drinks, alcoholic drinks containing the above drinks; instant noodles, Instant foods such as cup noodles, retort/cooked foods, cooked canned foods, microwave oven foods, instant miso soups/soups, canned soups, freeze-dried foods; luxury drinks and luxury goods such as cigarettes; bread, macaroni/spaghetti, noodles, cake mixes , Fried chicken powder, bread crumbs, gyoza skins and other flour products; caramel candy, chewing gum, chocolate, cookies and biscuits, cakes and pies, snacks and crackers, Japanese confectionery, rice confectionery, bean confectionery, dessert confectionery such as desserts; Basic seasonings such as soy sauce, miso, sauces, processed tomato seasonings, mirin, vinegars, sweeteners; flavor seasonings, cooking mixes, curry ingredients, sauces, dressings, noodle soups, spices, etc. Complex seasonings and foods; Oils and fats such as butter, margarine, mayonnaise, and vegetable oils;・Dairy products: Frozen foods such as frozen foods, half-cooked frozen foods, and cooked frozen foods, canned seafood, canned fruits and pastes, fish hams and sausages, fish paste products, seafood delicacies, dried seafood, foods boiled down in soy sauce, etc. Agricultural processed products such as canned livestock/paste, canned meat, canned fruit, jams/marmalades, pickles/boiled beans, dried agricultural products, cereals (processed grains); commercial foods such as; liquids; tablets; capsules; granules; powders;

The food composition or beverage composition of the present invention may optionally contain antioxidants, flavors, acidulants, colorants, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, sweeteners, spices, pH adjusters, stabilizers, vegetable oils, and animal oils. , Sugars and sugar alcohols, vitamins, organic acids, fruit juice extracts, vegetable extracts, grains, beans, vegetables, meats, seafood, and other additives and materials can be blended alone or in combination of two or more. can. The amount of these materials and additives to be blended can be appropriately determined within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention.

The food composition or beverage composition of the present invention includes molded containers (PET bottles) containing polyethylene terephthalate as a main component, metal cans, paper containers combined with metal foil or plastic film, pouches such as aluminum pouches, plastic containers, It can be provided by being filled in a normal packaging container such as a vinyl container, PTP (Press Through Package) packaging, and a bottle such as a glass bottle, and the capacity is not particularly limited.

The food composition and beverage composition of the present invention include functional foods (beverages) and health foods (beverages). As used herein, the term "health food (beverage)" means a food or beverage that has some effect on health or can be expected to have an effect, and the term "functional food (beverage)" refers to the Among "health foods (beverages)", the above-mentioned various biological regulatory functions (that is, regulatory functions of physiological systems such as the digestive system, circulatory system, endocrine system, immune system, or nervous system) are fully expressed. means any food or drink designed and processed to

The amount of inulin to be added to a food composition or beverage composition is not particularly limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention. , or 1 to 5% by weight.

The present invention will be described in more detail below by describing Production Examples and Examples. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, % indicates % by weight.

[Production Example 1. Inulin-containing catechin green tea]
The health functions of catechins, such as antioxidant and bactericidal effects, are well known, and green tea containing high concentrations of catechins is on the market. There is room for ingenuity about the balance of taste. Inulin has a masking effect and makes it difficult to perceive a bitter taste, but if the amount is too large, it may affect other taste components. Here, in order to verify the optimal amount of inulin to be added, the masking effect of inulin and other effects on taste were verified by adding inulin to commercial green tea with a high catechin concentration. Inulin was added to green tea with a high catechin content according to the formulations shown in the table below to obtain test products 1-5. Sensory tests were conducted by panelists on test products 1 to 5, respectively. The results are shown below.

In Test Example 3, the inulin masked the catechins, so that the strong bitterness was reduced and the aroma of the tea was felt. According to test examples, when the amount of inulin added is 1%, it is possible to obtain a high-catechin tea that can ingest about 4.5 to 5 g of inulin per bottle of 500 ml of tea in a general container. .
When the amount of inulin added was increased as in Test Examples 4 and 5, not only the bitterness was masked, but also the aroma of the tea was masked.

[Production Example 2. Soy milk containing inulin]
Soymilk is known to have high nutritional value, containing high-quality protein and essential fatty acids linoleic acid and linolenic acid. In addition, soy isoflavones are well known for their physiological functions such as cholesterol-lowering action, prevention of osteoporosis, and prevention of arteriosclerosis, and many soymilk beverages are commercially available as health-conscious beverages. On the other hand, it has a grassy odor and bitter and astringent taste derived from soybeans, which makes it difficult to drink, leading to a decrease in the purchasing motivation of consumers who prefer beverages with strong palatability. Although various measures have been taken to reduce the bitterness, such as adding cyclic dextrin, there is still room for improvement in terms of the balance between soybean odor, bitterness and astringency, and taste.
Inulin has a masking effect and makes it difficult to perceive soybean odor, protein odor, and bitter and astringent tastes. Here, in order to verify the optimal amount of inulin to be added, inulin was added to commercial unadjusted soymilk to verify the masking effect of inulin, other tastes, and ease of drinking. Test products 1 to 6 were obtained by adding inulin to unadjusted soymilk according to the formulations shown in the table below. Sensory tests were conducted by panelists on test products 1 to 6, respectively. The results are shown below.

In Test Example 5, inulin masked the soybean odor, thereby reducing the strong soybean odor and making it easier to drink. According to test examples, when the amount of inulin added is 2%, a soymilk drink can be obtained in which about 4.5 to 5g of inulin can be ingested per bottle of 250ml of soymilk in a general container.
When the amount of inulin added was increased as in Test Example 6, not only was the soybean odor masked and the drink became easier to drink, but also a problem occurred in which the sweetness was felt very strongly.

[Production Example 3. Black tea with inulin
While beverages are diversifying and the market for tea is declining according to a household survey in 2015, household spending on black tea remains constant, and black tea occupies a certain position in the market. In black tea, in addition to straight tea with nothing added, milk and sugar are added to add milk and sweetness along with the flavor of black tea. In addition, packaged black tea beverages, which are sealed containers filled with black tea beverages, are also widely sold. Water-soluble dietary fibers have physiological functions, are highly soluble, have low viscosity, and have relatively little effect on taste, and are therefore used in various beverages. However, adding an excessive amount of water-soluble dietary fiber to a black tea beverage masks the flavor development, resulting in a watery taste. In addition, there is a problem that the taste of indigestible dextrin and inulin, which are widely used as water-soluble dietary fibers, directly affects the taste of beverages. Therefore, in order to verify the optimal amount of inulin to be added, we investigated the masking effect of inulin and other effects on taste when inulin was added to commercially available sweetened black tea and sweetened milk tea. Test products 1 to 6 were obtained by adding inulin to each black tea beverage according to the formulations shown in the table below. A sensory test was conducted by each panelist on Test Products 1 to 6 of each black tea beverage. The results are shown below.

In the case of sweetened black tea, in Test Example 3, inulin masked catechins, thereby reducing the strong bitterness and harsh taste, while allowing the aroma of black tea to be perceived. When the amount of inulin added is 0.8 to 1.0%, it is possible to obtain black tea from which about 4 to 5 g of inulin can be ingested per one bottle of 500 ml, which is the amount in a general container. However, when the amount added is 0.4% or less, the catechin-masking effect of inulin is not sufficient, although the aroma of black tea is felt strongly. In addition, when the amount added is 1.2% or more, not only the bitterness and harshness of catechins are greatly reduced, but also the aroma of black tea is strongly masked.

In the case of sweetened milk tea, adding 0.8 to 1.0% inulin in Test Examples 2 and 3 reduces the bitterness and harsh taste of black tea, improves the richness of milk, and also gives the aroma of black tea. I am able to do it. Assuming that the amount of inulin added is 0.8-1.0%, it is possible to ingest about 4.0-5.0 g of inulin per bottle of 500 ml of milk tea in a general container. you can get a tee. If the amount added is 0.4% or less, the richness of the milk is improved, but the masking of the bitterness and harshness is not sufficient, resulting in the problem that the bitterness and harshness of the aftertaste remain. Also, if the amount added is 1.2% or more, the richness of the milk will be further improved, but the bitterness and harshness as well as the aroma of black tea will be strongly masked, and the sweetness will be strong. There was a problem that it became an uncharacteristic vague flavor.

[Production Example 4. Oral rehydration solution containing inulin]
Oral rehydration solution is a solution used for treatment in which electrolytes and the like are dissolved in water for the purpose of improving and treating dehydration. However, it has been used in various fields as a countermeasure for chronic dehydration in the elderly, working in a hot environment, drinking after sports, and heatstroke, and has become popular and commercially available. A suitable oral rehydration solution is characterized by having a molar concentration ratio of Na ions and glucose of 1:1 to 2 and having a lower osmotic pressure than serum (about 285 mOsm/L). However, unlike general sports drinks, the concentration of salt is high, and there is still room for improvement in taste. Inulin has the effect of mellowing the taste of salts, and since it is a polymer, it can be added without significantly affecting the osmotic pressure, making it a preferable material for addition to oral rehydration solutions. Therefore, in order to verify the optimal amount of inulin to be added, the masking effect of inulin and other effects on taste were verified with the following composition. Inulin was added to the prepared oral rehydration solution to obtain test products 1-5. Sensory tests were conducted by panelists on test products 1 to 5, respectively. The results are shown below.

From the test examples, it was confirmed that inulin reduces the bitterness and harshness of salts, but affects the flavor. The panelists rated 0.5 or 1.0% added inulin as the most preferred. When the amount of inulin added was 0.5 to 1.0%, the bitterness and harshness of salts were reduced, but the flavor was not weakened too much. By setting the amount of inulin added to 0.5 to 1.0%, it is possible to ingest about 2.5 to 5.0 g of inulin per bottle of 500 ml, which is the amount of an oral rehydration solution in a general container. Oral rehydration solution can be obtained. However, when the amount added was 2% or more, the masking of bitterness and harshness was enhanced, but the flavor was weakened.

[Production Example 5. Inulin-containing low-fat milk and non-fat milk]
Milk contains not only calcium but also high-quality proteins and vitamins in a well-balanced manner, and is known to be nutritionally excellent. Due to the growing health consciousness, there is an increasing demand for low-fat milk and non-fat milk, which are lower in calories than cow's milk and rich in nutrients like cow's milk. On the other hand, low-fat milk and non-fat milk lack milk-like flavor and richness due to a decrease in milk fat content, and are therefore unsatisfactory, and improvement in taste is desired. While inulin has the effect of enhancing the feeling of milk and enhances the richness of fat, if the amount of inulin is too large, it may affect other taste components. Here, in order to verify the optimum amount of inulin to be added, inulin was added to commercially available low-fat milk and non-fat milk to verify the enhancing effect of inulin and other effects on taste. Inulin was added to low-fat milk and non-fat milk according to the formulations shown in the table below to obtain test products 1-8. Sensory tests were conducted by panelists on test products 1 to 8, respectively. The results are shown below.

In Test Examples 3, 4 and 8, inulin was able to improve moderate sweetness and richness of milk while reducing the milky smell and unpleasant taste. Assuming that the amount of inulin added is 1.0-1.5% according to the test example, about 4.0-6.8 g of inulin is ingested per 450 ml of low-fat milk in a general container. low-fat and non-fat milk can be obtained.
When the amount of inulin added is reduced as in Test Examples 2 and 3, the milk-derived milky odor and unpleasant taste are slightly reduced, and the richness of the milk is slightly improved, but the taste quality is significantly improved compared to the control group. I didn't.
When the amount of inulin added was increased as in Test Examples 5 and 6, the richness of the milk was further improved, but the sweetness was too strong, resulting in an unbalanced flavor characteristic of milk.

[Production Example 6. Baked confectionery using soybean flour containing inulin]
As the concept of preventive medicine spreads, the number of nutritionally enriched foods is increasing along with the expansion of the health food market. In particular, soy protein, which has been familiar to Japanese people for a long time and is well known as "meat from the field," is now being used not only in conventional processed foods but also in food categories such as bread and confectionery. there is Although soybean is a high-protein material rich in essential amino acids, its sugar content is relatively low compared to wheat and rice, so it is being used as a sugar substitute. It is often added to bread and confectionery for the purpose of promoting high protein content and reducing sugar content. is required.
While inulin has a masking effect and has the effect of making it difficult to perceive soybean odor, protein odor, bitter and astringent taste, etc., it may affect physical properties depending on the amount added. Therefore, in order to verify the optimum amount of inulin to be added, the masking effect of inulin and other physical properties were verified with the following composition. Test products 1 and 2 were obtained based on the following formulations. Sensory tests were conducted by panelists on test products 1 and 2, respectively. The results are shown below.

In Test Example 2, inulin masked the soybean odor, thereby reducing the strong soybean odor and improving the flavor. In addition, crispiness and meltability in the mouth were improved, and the problem of texture due to the high protein content was improved. Assuming that the amount of inulin added is 10%, 4.5 g to 5 g per 50 g of a large cookie (10 cm in diameter) or 5 10 g of a normal cookie (5 cm in diameter). A protein-enriched cookie can be obtained that can be ingested with a certain amount of inulin.

In Test Example 2, the strong soybean odor and unpleasant taste can be reduced and the flavor can be improved by masking the unique odor and unpleasant taste derived from soybeans without causing problems such as coloring and tooth sticking. ing.
Considering the test example, if the amount of inulin added is 16%, it is possible to ingest about 4.3 g to 4.8 g of inulin per bar type confectionery, which is 30 g of general bar type sweets. You can get bar sweets.

[Example 1. Verification of functions]
An intervention study was conducted on 55 elderly women aged 65-79 years. The intervention included a 3-month nutritional intervention and a 3-month 3-times-weekly exercise intervention. For nutritional intervention, the inulin-containing foods or placebo diets listed in Table 3 were dissolved in water to form a mousse and consumed after each breakfast. Rowing exercise was performed as an exercise intervention. The method was training using e-rowing in the university once a week, and training 200 times/day using a rubber tube at home two days a week. In the training conducted at the university, the intensity was gradually increased from the 1st week to the 5th week out of a total of 12 weeks, and 200 exercises were performed in the 5th week. The output was 30 to 80 W, and the maximum duration was about 10 minutes, though there were individual differences. In addition, before and after the rowing exercise, we perform exercises, mainly stretching exercises, with trainers to prevent injuries.

Pre-measurements were performed prior to intervention. The subjects were divided into four groups, each
(A) Exercise intervention + inulin-containing test diet group (n = 11),
(B) Exercise intervention + placebo test diet group (n = 11),
(C) No exercise intervention + inulin-containing test diet group (n = 14),
(D) No exercise intervention + placebo test diet group (n = 14)
and Whole-body measurements were performed by the DXA method before and after 3 months of intervention. The DXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry: DXA) method irradiates X-rays with two different energies, called dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and uses the absorption difference before and after the substance penetrates to measure the target. The method. Bone density, fat and lean mass can be measured by measuring the X-ray dose after transmission using the difference in absorption rates of bone and soft tissue. The DXA method is quick (approximately 5-6 minutes), accurate, non-invasive, and highly reliable. The use of the DXA method is recommended by the diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis (guidelines). In this study, the whole body was measured by the DXA method before and after intervention for 3 months. Bone mineral density, fat mass, and fat-free mass were measured, and bone mineral mass, body fat mass, and fat-free mass were calculated. Fat-free body mass includes weights other than muscle mass, but it is said that the correlation with actual muscle mass is extremely high (see Non-Patent Documents 8 to 10), and body-free body mass was treated as muscle mass. . In addition, regarding the evaluation of each part of the body, there were some cases in which age-related bone degeneration was partially observed, mainly in the lumbar spine, so only the evaluation of the whole body was used as an index.
The subjects were instructed to refrain from eating and drinking for 12 hours before the measurement, and they were asked to remove the metal objects they were wearing and change into clothes for the examination. Horizon A manufactured by Hologic was used for all measurements, and APEX software version 13.6.0.4 was used as analysis software. Scanning was performed using an X-ray tube that generates photons of two energies of 140 kVp and 100 kVp as a radiation source, and a fan beam mode was used as a scanning method. The whole body measurement required time was about 6 minutes. An experienced radiological technologist measured according to the measurement procedure. Results are shown in FIGS.

(Fat-free soft tissue mass and fat-free mass)
Group (A) resulted in significantly less reduction in lean soft tissue mass and lean mass (lean body mass) than group (D). In groups (B) and (C), although there was no significant difference, the decrease in lean soft tissue mass and lean mass (lean body mass) tended to be significantly less than in group (D). seen. Therefore, it was shown that the ingestion of inulin can suppress the loss of muscle mass.

(Bone density)
All of the groups (A), (B), and (C) showed significantly less decrease in bone density than the group (D). Therefore, it was shown that the ingestion of inulin can suppress the decrease in bone density.

The food having locomotive syndrome prevention function in the present invention has high versatility that can be widely applied to food and drink in general by using inulin as an active ingredient. In addition, the intestinal function of inulin can be expected to maintain health and prevent diseases other than locomotive syndrome.

Claims (9)

A muscle mass reduction inhibitor comprising inulin as an active ingredient, wherein the inulin has the following characteristics.
inulin;
(1) The proportion of fructo-oligosaccharides with an average degree of polymerization of 4 or less in the whole inulin is 5% or less (2) The average degree of polymerization is 5 or more and 30 or less (3) 2 or more molecules of D-fructose on the fructose side of sucrose has a dehydration-polymerized structure with a β-(2→1) bond 2. The muscle mass reduction inhibitor according to claim 1, which further has a bone density reduction inhibitory action. 3. The muscle mass reduction inhibitor according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the dose of inulin is 3.6 g or more and 8 g or less per day. Claim 1, for administering or ingesting to a subject during an exercise period in which resistance exercise with an intensity of METs of 4.8 or more and aerobic exercise with an intensity of METs of 4.8 or more are performed for 10 minutes or more each at least 3 times a week. 4. Muscle mass reduction inhibitor according to any one of 1 to 3 . The agent for suppressing muscle mass loss according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the subject is an elderly person aged 65 or over. 6. The muscle mass reduction inhibitor according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the dose of the fructo-oligosaccharide component having a chain length of 4 or less is 3.6 g or less per day. The muscle mass loss inhibitor according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , which is for preventing locomotive syndrome. A composition for suppressing muscle mass loss, containing the muscle mass loss suppressing agent according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . The composition for suppressing muscle mass loss according to claim 8 , which is a food composition for suppressing muscle mass loss or a beverage composition for suppressing muscle mass loss.

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