JP7450397B2 - Protein coagulant, protein-containing food and drink, physical property improving agent for protein-containing food and drink, and method for improving the physical properties of protein-containing food and drink - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a protein coagulant, a protein-containing food or drink, an agent for improving the physical properties of a protein-containing food or drink, and a method for improving the physical properties of a protein-containing food or drink.

Among protein-containing foods and drinks, tofu and the like are obtained by coagulating (gelling, etc.) proteins in raw materials using a coagulant. Known coagulants include bittern (containing magnesium chloride as a main component), mineral salts (calcium chloride, calcium sulfate, etc.), and acids (glucono delta-lactone, etc.).

On the other hand, coagulants are known to have a significant effect on the physical properties and taste of the resulting food and drink.

For example, as technologies related to coagulants for obtaining foods and drinks with good flavor, there is a method for producing tofu using glucose oxidase and metal-containing yeast (iron-containing yeast, etc.) (Patent Document 1), organic acids, fats and oils, etc. An emulsified coagulant for tofu (Patent Document 2) has been proposed, which contains an emulsifier, an emulsifier, and water.

Special Publication No. 6577721 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-50970

However, there is an additional need for a protein coagulant that can further improve the physical properties of protein-containing foods and drinks.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a protein coagulant that can improve the physical properties of protein-containing foods and drinks.

The present inventors have discovered that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by using a predetermined sugar carboxylic acid as a protein coagulant, and have completed the present invention. More specifically, the invention provides:

(1) At least one selected from the group consisting of a sugar carboxylic acid with a degree of polymerization of 2 or more containing gluconic acid as a constituent sugar, a salt of the sugar carboxylic acid and a divalent mineral, and a lactone of the sugar carboxylic acid. A protein coagulant containing the above ingredients.

(2) The protein coagulant according to (1), wherein the sugar carboxylic acid contains at least one selected from the group consisting of maltobionic acid and cellobionic acid.

(3) The protein coagulant according to (1) or (2), wherein the sugar carboxylic acid is in the form of maltooligosaccharide oxide, cellooligosaccharide oxide, starch syrup oxide, powdered candy oxide, or dextrin oxide.

(4) The protein coagulant according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the divalent mineral is calcium or magnesium.

(5) A protein-containing food or drink comprising the protein coagulant according to any one of (1) to (4).

(6) The protein-containing food or drink according to (5), wherein the mass ratio (A/B) of the mass (A) of the protein coagulant to the mass (B) of the protein is 0.01 or more and 1.5 or less. .

(7) An agent for improving the physical properties of protein-containing foods and drinks, comprising the protein coagulant according to any one of (1) to (4).

(8) A method for improving the physical properties of a protein-containing food or drink, comprising the step of blending the protein coagulant according to any one of (1) to (4) into the protein-containing food or drink.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a protein coagulant that can improve the physical properties of protein-containing foods and drinks.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amounts of citric acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, and maltooligosaccharide oxides added and the hardness (weighted average) of gelled soymilk. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the respective amounts of calcium chloride, calcium lactate, and maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide and the hardness (loaded average) of gelled soymilk. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of water added to 100 g of soymilk when calcium lactate or malto-oligosaccharide calcium oxide is used, and the hardness (loaded average) of gelled soymilk. It is a figure showing the amount of syneresis of soybean milk gel.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and may be implemented with appropriate changes within the scope of the purpose of the present invention. I can do it. Note that the description may be omitted as appropriate for parts where the description overlaps, but this does not limit the gist of the invention.

<Protein coagulant>
The protein coagulant of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the coagulant of the present invention") includes a sugar carboxylic acid with a degree of polymerization of 2 or more containing gluconic acid as a constituent sugar, and a salt of the sugar carboxylic acid and a divalent mineral. , and at least one component selected from the group consisting of lactones of the sugar carboxylic acids. Note that hereinafter, "sugar carboxylic acid containing gluconic acid as a constituent sugar and having a degree of polymerization of 2 or more" is also referred to as "sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention".

Protein hardness usually increases with increasing amount of coagulant added. However, when the hardness increases to a certain point, separation occurs between protein and water, and the protein coagulation (gel, etc.) breaks down, resulting in a rapid decrease in hardness and a change in texture.
On the other hand, the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention has a lower acidity than organic acids such as citric acid, and is a mild acid, so it is difficult to cause a rapid reaction with proteins, and coagulation of proteins progresses slowly. Gel strength etc. can be gradually increased.
Therefore, according to the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention, a coagulated product with good hardness and strength can be obtained, and furthermore, the texture can be improved.
In addition, the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention does not easily react rapidly with proteins, coagulates proteins slowly, and has good taste, so it can be used in larger amounts than conventional coagulants. Also, adverse effects on the obtained coagulated product (deterioration in taste, decrease in gel strength, etc.) can be suppressed.

Conventionally known coagulants such as organic acids (citric acid, lactic acid, etc.) have a narrow range of addition amount (critical point) for maintaining a state in which a coagulated substance (gel etc.) is formed. However, since the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention has a wide range, it can have a great advantage as a coagulant in that it can suppress the occurrence of defective products due to variations in the amount added. Such benefits are particularly significant in industrial processes.

When the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention is in the form of a salt with a divalent mineral, the functional groups (one carboxy group and multiple hydroxyl groups) of the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention interact with the mineral. As a result, the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention controls the reaction between mineral components and proteins and forms a uniform network, which improves the strength of coagulated substances (gels, etc.) and suppresses syneresis. It can be effective.

On the other hand, if the sugar carboxylic acid is in the form of a salt with a monovalent mineral (sodium maltobionic acid, etc.) rather than a salt with a divalent mineral, interaction between mineral components and proteins is unlikely to occur, and protein does not gel. Therefore, effects such as improving the strength of the coagulated material (gel etc.) and suppressing syneresis are difficult to achieve.

When the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention is in the form of a lactone of sugar carboxylic acid (maltobionolactone, etc.), it quickly becomes a sugar carboxylic acid (maltobionic acid, etc.) when dissolved in water.

The sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention has weaker bitterness, harshness, sourness, etc. than conventional coagulants (bitter, mineral salts, organic acids, etc.), so it has a smooth texture that melts in the mouth. However, it also has the advantage of good taste.

Hereinafter, details of the coagulant of the present invention will be explained.

(sugar carboxylic acid)
The coagulant of the present invention comprises the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention (a sugar carboxylic acid containing gluconic acid as a constituent sugar and having a degree of polymerization of 2 or more), a salt of the sugar carboxylic acid and a divalent mineral, and the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention. contains at least one component selected from the group consisting of lactones. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Examples of the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention include maltobionic acid, isomaltobionic acid, maltotrionic acid, isomaltotrionic acid, maltotetraonic acid, maltohexaonic acid, cellobionic acid, and the like.
Among these, maltobionic acid and cellobionic acid are preferred, and maltobionic acid is more preferred, since they are highly effective in improving the physical properties of protein-containing foods and drinks.

The form of the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, it may be a free acid, a salt of the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention and a divalent mineral, or a lactone of the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention.

When the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention is in the form of a mineral salt, the mineral is not particularly limited as long as it can be incorporated into foods and drinks, but calcium, Or magnesium etc. are preferable. In other words, the salt of the sugar carboxylic acid and divalent mineral of the present invention is preferably a calcium salt, a magnesium salt, or the like.

The sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention may be in the form of maltooligosaccharide oxide, cellooligosaccharide oxide, starch syrup oxide, powdered candy oxide, or dextrin oxide.

The form of the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention may be liquid (syrup, etc.) or powder.

(Method for producing sugar carboxylic acid)
The sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention can be produced according to a conventional method. Examples of methods for producing sugar carboxylic acids include (1) oxidizing starch decomposition products or cellulose decomposition products by a chemical oxidation reaction, (2) adding oligosaccharide oxidation ability to starch decomposition products or cellulose decomposition products. Examples include a reaction method using microorganisms or oxidizing enzymes that have the above-mentioned properties.
Among the above methods, the method (2) includes, for example, a method in which an oxidizing enzyme is extracted from a microorganism having the ability to oxidize oligosaccharides, such as Acremonium chrysogenum, and the enzyme is allowed to act.

The salt of sugar carboxylic acid and divalent mineral of the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be produced by adding a mineral (salt) to maltobionic acid.
For example, when producing calcium maltobionic acid, calcium maltobionic acid can be prepared by adding a calcium source such as calcium carbonate to a maltobionic acid solution at a molar ratio of 2:1 and dissolving it. The calcium source used at this time is not particularly limited as long as it is edible calcium, and examples include natural materials (eggshell powder, coral powder, bone powder, shell powder, etc.), chemically synthesized products (calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, etc.) etc.) may be used.

The sugar carboxylic acid lactone of the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be produced by a known dehydration operation.
For example, maltobionolactone can be prepared by dehydrating maltobionic acid.

(Other ingredients)
The coagulant of the present invention may contain any desired components as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Such ingredients include, for example, water, flavor, thickener, sweetener (sugar, high fructose sugar, glucose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey, starch syrup, powdered candy, maltodextrin, Sorbitol, maltitol, reduced starch syrup, maltose, trehalose, brown sugar, etc.), dietary fiber, protein (milk, beans, beef extract, chicken extract, pork extract, fish extract, gelatin, etc.), acidulants (citric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, organic acids such as malic acid and tartaric acid), minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, copper, etc.), amino acids (arginine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, etc.), spices (garlic, ginger, sesame, chili pepper, (wasabi, Japanese pepper, Japanese ginger, etc.), emulsifiers, enzymes, functional ingredients, preservatives, stabilizers, antioxidants, vitamins, etc. The amount of these components added can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the desired effect.

The coagulant of the present invention may or may not contain conventionally known solids such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, etc., or their pulverized products (powders, etc.).

The coagulant of the present invention may or may not contain a conventionally known coagulant. Conventionally known coagulants include bittern (containing magnesium chloride as a main component), calcium salts (calcium chloride, calcium sulfate, etc.), and acids (glucono delta-lactone, etc.).

The coagulant of the present invention may or may not contain a salt of a sugar carboxylic acid and a mineral other than a divalent mineral (sodium maltobionic acid, etc.). From the viewpoint that the effects of the present invention are easily exerted, when the coagulant of the present invention contains a salt of a sugar carboxylic acid and a mineral other than a divalent mineral, the amount thereof should be extremely small (for example, It is preferably 0.001% by mass or less based on the coagulant.

The coagulant of the present invention may or may not contain components used in conventionally known methods for manufacturing tofu and the like. Examples of such components include yeast, emulsifiers, and the like. When these components are included in the coagulant of the present invention, their amount is preferably extremely small (for example, 0.001% by mass or less based on the coagulant of the present invention).

The coagulant of the present invention preferably does not contain other components such as those mentioned above, and includes a sugar carboxylic acid having a degree of polymerization of 2 or more and containing gluconic acid as a constituent sugar, a salt of the sugar carboxylic acid and a divalent mineral, and at least one component selected from the group consisting of lactones of the sugar carboxylic acids.

<Protein-containing food and drinks>
The protein-containing food or drink of the present invention contains the coagulant of the present invention. By the action of the coagulant of the present invention, the protein in the protein-containing food/beverage product is coagulated, thereby obtaining the protein-containing food/beverage product of the present invention.

In the present invention, "protein coagulates" refers to various changes brought about by the denaturing effect of the protein by the coagulant of the present invention, including gelation, solidification, semi-solidification (jelly-like formation, etc.), paste-formation, etc. Can be mentioned.

The origin of the protein contained in the protein-containing food or drink is not particularly limited, and may be any plant-derived protein, any animal-derived protein, or a combination thereof.

Examples of proteins contained in protein-containing foods and drinks include soybean protein, pea protein, milk protein, whey protein, rice protein, wheat protein, barley protein, livestock protein, and fish protein. These proteins may be contained alone or in combination of two or more.

Protein-containing foods and drinks include, but are not limited to, sweets and desserts (jelly, pudding, mousse, yogurt, ice cream, sherbet, etc.), creams (whip, custard, etc.), sauces, and processed soybeans and okara. products (tofu, ganmodoki, fried tofu, tofu hamburgers, soybean meat, etc.), processed meat products (hamburgers, sausages, ham, etc.), processed dairy products (cheese, white sauce, etc.), processed seafood products (boiled fish, salted fish, etc.) , fish sausage, kamaboko, canned products, etc.), and processed egg products (e.g., tamagoyaki, dashimaki omelet, boiled omelet, thick-yaki omelet, etc., omelet, scrambled egg, etc.).

The amount of protein contained in the protein-containing food or drink is not particularly limited. For example, the protein content may be preferably 1% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, based on the protein-containing food or drink.

The amount of the coagulant of the present invention added to the protein-containing food or drink is not particularly limited, and is appropriately selected depending on the type of the protein-containing food or drink, the physical properties to be achieved, and the like.

For example, the coagulant of the present invention may be added to a protein-containing food or drink such that the mass ratio (A/B) of the mass (A) of the coagulant of the present invention to the mass of protein (B) is 0.01 or more and 1.5 or less. It may be added to products. When (A/B) is 0.01 or more, it is easy to impart preferable physical properties (hardness, etc.) to the protein-containing food or drink. When the mass ratio (A/B) is 1.5 or less, physical properties such as hardness imparted to the protein-containing food or drink tend to be appropriate.

The lower limit of the mass ratio (A/B) of the mass (A) of the coagulant of the present invention to the mass (B) of the protein is preferably 0.05 or more, and more preferably 0.1 or more.

The upper limit of the mass ratio (A/B) of the mass (A) of the coagulant of the present invention to the mass (B) of the protein is preferably 1 or less, and more preferably 0.8 or less.

When producing the protein-containing food or drink of the present invention, the timing of blending the coagulant of the present invention into the protein-containing food or drink is not particularly limited, and is appropriately selected depending on the species of the protein-containing food or drink.
For example, the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention may be mixed in advance into the raw material of the protein-containing food or drink, or may be blended at any timing in the manufacturing or processing process of the protein-containing food or drink.

The protein-containing food or drink of the present invention may be sterilized or packed in containers, if necessary. The method and order of sterilization treatment and container filling are not particularly limited.
When packing the protein-containing food or drink of the present invention into containers, the containers may include resin products such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (retort pouch containers, plastic bottles, etc.), metal products such as steel or aluminum (cans, etc.), paper products, etc. Examples include packs.

The content of the sugar carboxylic acid of the present invention contained in the protein-containing food or drink of the present invention is determined by the HPAED-PAD method (pulsed amperometry detector, CarboPac PA1 column).
The measurement conditions for the HPAED-PAD method are as follows.
Elution: 35°C, 1.0ml/min
Sodium hydroxide concentration: 100mM
Sodium acetate concentration: 0 minutes - 0mM, 5 minutes - 0mM, 55 minutes - 40mM

<Physical property improving agent for protein-containing foods and drinks>
The physical property improving agent for protein-containing foods and drinks of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the physical property improving agent of the present invention") comprises the coagulant of the present invention. As described above, the coagulant of the present invention can coagulate proteins in protein-containing foods and drinks and impart preferable hardness, etc., and therefore can be suitably used as an agent for improving the physical properties of protein-containing foods and drinks.

In the present invention, "improving the physical properties of a protein-containing food/drink" means that the physical properties of the protein-containing food/drink are improved by coagulation of proteins in the protein-containing food/drink compared to when the physical property improving agent of the present invention is not added. It means to improve.

The physical properties improved by the physical property improving agent of the present invention include various physical properties brought about by coagulation of proteins. For example, the following improvement effects can be brought about; Maintaining the effect of improving the hardness of products, improving the elasticity of protein-containing foods and beverages, improving the texture of protein-containing foods and beverages, improving the strength of protein-containing foods and beverages, and the amount of syneresis of protein-containing foods and beverages , the effect of suppressing the swelling of protein-containing foods and drinks, etc.
According to the physical property improving agent of the present invention, among the above effects, the effect of improving the hardness of protein-containing foods and drinks can be particularly brought about.

The physical properties improved by the physical property improving agent of the present invention vary depending on the type of food or drink, but for example, when the protein-containing food or drink is tofu, the gel strength (weighted average) is preferably 40 gf or more, more preferably It can exceed 80gf. The weighted average is specified by the method shown in the example.

<Method for improving the physical properties of protein-containing foods and drinks>
The method of improving the physical properties of a protein-containing food or drink of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "the method of improving physical properties of the present invention") includes a step of blending the coagulant of the present invention into a protein-containing food or drink.

In the method for improving physical properties of the present invention, the timing and amount of blending the coagulant of the present invention into a protein-containing food or drink can be appropriately selected depending on the type of food or drink and the physical properties to be achieved, and are not particularly limited. For example, the conditions listed in the section of <Protein-containing food/beverage products> above can be employed.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples.

<Test 1: Protein gelation test - comparison with organic acid>
Proteins in soymilk were coagulated (gelled) using the following sugar carboxylic acids or organic acids, and their hardness was evaluated.

(material)
The materials used for gelling soymilk are as follows.
[Sugar carboxylic acid]
Maltobionic acid syrup (70% by mass): manufactured by Sanei Toka Co., Ltd. Cellobionic acid (powder): manufactured by Sanei Toka Co., Ltd. Maltooligosaccharide oxide (lactone mixed powder): Product name "Sour Oligo (70% by mass)" was powdered Product, manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd. Dextrin oxide (powder): DE19, product name "NSD700", manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd. [Organic acid]
Citric acid: Iwata Chemical Co., Ltd. 50% Lactic acid: Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd. Gluconic acid solution (50%): Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.

The above malto-oligosaccharide oxide contains 70% by mass of maltobionic acid, 1% by mass of gluconic acid, 15% by mass of maltotrionic acid, and 14% by mass of malto-oligosaccharide acid having a degree of polymerization of 4 or more. Identified by HPLC method (solid content conversion).
Therefore, the content (g) of sugar carboxylic acid components in 100 g of malto-oligosaccharide oxide is the total amount (g) of sugar carboxylic acids of disaccharides or higher, excluding gluconic acid, which is a monosaccharide, from the carbohydrate components. Therefore, it is calculated as 99g.

(Preparation of gelled soymilk)
Using commercially available soymilk (protein content 3.95% by mass, manufactured by Kikkoman Beverage Co., Ltd.) and the above sugar carboxylic acid or organic acid, gelled soymilk having the composition shown in Tables 1 to 4 was prepared.
In addition, in the table below, "A/B" refers to the total content of sugar carboxylic acids, salts thereof, and lactones thereof in the composition (A) g, and the protein content in the composition (B) g. It means the mass ratio when
The method for preparing gelled soymilk is as follows.
(1) A test solution was prepared by dissolving materials other than soy milk in water, and after adding this to soy milk and stirring, 30 g each was dispensed into a 50 ml beaker.
(2) After dispensing, the soymilk was gelled by covering with aluminum foil and heating with steam for 20 minutes in a steam convection oven at 85°C.
(3) After heating, it was left to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then placed in an environmental tester at 25° C. for 2 hours, and then subjected to hardness measurement as described below.

(Measurement of hardness)
The hardness of the gelled soymilk was measured by the following method. The measurement was repeated three times and the average value was calculated. The results are shown in the "weighted average" section of Tables 1 to 4.
A rheometer (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.) was used to measure the hardness, and the maximum load when compressed to 50% of the sample height with a 30 mm cylindrical plunger at a compression speed of 1 mm/s was determined as the hardness of each soy milk gel. I did it. Among the gelled soymilk, those with a maximum load of 10 gf or more were evaluated as gelled soymilk.

Further, FIG. 1 shows the relationship between the added amounts of citric acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, and maltooligosaccharide oxide and the weighted average.

As shown in Tables 1 and 2, the hardness of soymilk gel increases as the amount of organic acid added increases, but after a certain point, the hardness decreases rapidly, water separates, and the gel becomes smooth. There was a tendency for the texture to change from texture to rough texture. On the other hand, as shown in Tables 3 and 4, the deterioration of texture due to such rapid changes is almost not observed when sugar carboxylic acids are added; It was found that it was easy to adjust the texture and achieve a desirable texture.

As shown in Figure 1, maltobionic acid syrup can not only increase the hardness of soymilk gel by more than twice as much as citric acid, lactic acid, and gluconic acid, but also has an additive amount that can form a gel with a smooth texture. It was confirmed that the numerical range was wide.

<Test 2: Protein gelation test - comparison with mineral salts>
Protein in soymilk was gelled in the same manner as Test 1 using mineral salt instead of organic acid, and its hardness was evaluated.

(material)
The materials used for gelatinizing soy milk are as follows.
[Sugar carboxylic acid]
Malto-oligosaccharide calcium oxide: Trade name "Sour Oligo C", manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd. Sodium maltobionic acid (powder): manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd. [Mineral salt]
Calcium chloride: manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd. Calcium lactate: manufactured by Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

The maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide described above contains 4.1% by mass of calcium in addition to the same carbohydrate components as the maltooligosaccharide oxide (identified by HPLC method (solid content conversion)).
Therefore, the content (g) of sugar carboxylic acid components in 100 g of malto-oligosaccharide calcium oxide is the total amount (g) of sugar carboxylic acids of disaccharides or higher, excluding gluconic acid, which is a monosaccharide, from the carbohydrate components. Therefore, it is calculated as 99g.

The composition of the gelled soymilk and its hardness are shown in Tables 5 and 6. Further, FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the added amounts of calcium chloride, calcium lactate, and maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide and the weighted average.

As shown in Figure 2, when malto-oligosaccharide calcium oxide was used, it not only increased the hardness of the soy milk gel but also formed a gel with a smooth and melt-in-the-mouth texture compared to calcium chloride and calcium lactate.

On the other hand, when sodium maltooligosaccharide oxide was used, no effect on increasing the hardness of soymilk gel could be confirmed.

<Test 3: Protein gelation test - Examination of the influence of the amount of water added>
Proteins in soymilk were gelled in the same manner as Test 1 by changing the amount of water used for the gelling process, and the hardness was evaluated.

(material)
The materials used for gelling soymilk are as follows.
[Sugar carboxylic acid]
Maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide: Product name “Sour Oligo C”, manufactured by Sanei Toka Co., Ltd. [Mineral salt]
Calcium lactate: Manufactured by Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.

The composition of the gelled soymilk and its hardness are shown in Tables 7 and 8. Further, FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the amount of water added to 100 g of soymilk and the weighted average when calcium lactate or maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide is used.

Normally, when the amount of water added is large, the strength of soymilk gel tends to decrease. However, as shown in Table 8, the gel strength tended to be maintained even when the amount of water added was increased. Therefore, according to the coagulant of the present invention, it is expected that a strong gel can be obtained with a small amount of soymilk and that manufacturing costs can be reduced.

<Test 4: Examination of syneresis suppressing effect in soy milk gel>
Using the following sugar carboxylic acid or mineral salt, protein in soymilk was gelled in the same manner as in Test 1, and the hardness of the resulting soymilk gel and the amount of syneresis were evaluated.

(material)
The materials used for gelling soymilk are as follows.
[Sugar carboxylic acid]
Maltooligosaccharide oxide syrup (70% by mass): Trade name "Sour Oligo", manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd. Maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide: Trade name "Sour Oligo C", manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd. [Mineral salt]
Magnesium chloride: Manufactured by Fuji Film Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. Calcium lactate: Manufactured by Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. [Others]
Granulated sugar: manufactured by Nisshin Sugar Co., Ltd.

Table 9 shows the composition and hardness of the gelled soymilk.

(Measurement of water separation)
After filling a plastic cup with 30 g of soy milk and sealing it, a soy milk gel was prepared by steam heating at 85° C. for 20 minutes, and after storing it in the refrigerator for one day, the amount of syneresis was measured. The measurement was repeated three times and the average value was calculated. The results are shown in the "average separation amount" section of Table 9 and in FIG. 4.

As shown in Table 9, when maltooligosaccharide oxide syrup or maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide was used, not only the hardness of the soymilk gel was improved, but also syneresis was suppressed.

On the other hand, when magnesium chloride was used, although the hardness of the soymilk gel was improved, the amount of water separation was large. Furthermore, when calcium lactate was used, the hardness of the soymilk gel was inferior and the amount of water separation was large.

Note that when sugar carboxylic acid was used, a gel with less bitterness and harshness and having the original flavor of soybean milk was obtained compared to the case where mineral salt was used.

<Test 5: Tofu hamburger evaluation-1>
Using the soymilk gels prepared in Comparative Example 2-5 and Example 2-4, tofu hamburgers were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 10, and the presence and extent of syneresis was visually observed.

(Preparation of tofu hamburger)
Tofu hamburger steak was produced by the following method.
After frying chopped carrots and chopped onions and seasoning with salt and pepper, soy milk gel, beaten eggs, and potato starch were mixed together and fried in a frying pan until both sides were golden brown to obtain a tofu hamburger steak.

The tofu hamburger of the comparative example had a large amount of syneresis, whereas the tofu hamburger of the example containing maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide was fluffy and had a small amount of syneresis.

<Test 6: Evaluation of tofu hamburger-2>
Using commercially available tofu and malto-oligosaccharide calcium oxide (trade name "Sour Oligo C", manufactured by Sanei Toka Co., Ltd.) instead of soymilk gel, tofu hamburgers were prepared in the same manner as in Test 5 according to the recipe shown in Table 11. The presence and extent of syneresis was visually observed.

The tofu hamburger of the comparative example had a large amount of syneresis, whereas the tofu hamburger of the example containing maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide was fluffy and had a small amount of syneresis.

<Test 7: Evaluation of egg gel>
Proteins in eggs were gelled using the following sugar carboxylic acids or mineral salts, and the hardness of the resulting egg gels was evaluated.

(material)
Table 12 shows the materials for the egg gel. The sugar carboxylic acids and mineral salts used for egg gelation are as follows.
[Sugar carboxylic acid]
Maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide: Product name “Sour Oligo C”, manufactured by Sanei Toka Co., Ltd. [Mineral salt]
Calcium lactate: manufactured by Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. Calcium gluconate: manufactured by Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

(Preparation of egg gel)
Egg gel was produced by the following method.
All the ingredients were mixed and dispensed in 30 g portions into 50 ml beakers, covered with aluminum foil and heated with steam in a steam convection oven at 85° C. for 20 minutes to prepare egg gel. After heating, the egg gel was allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes and placed in an environmental tester at 20° C. for 2 hours, and then the egg gel filled in an aluminum cup with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm was subjected to hardness measurement.

(Measurement of hardness)
The hardness of the egg gel was measured by the following method. The measurement was repeated three times and the average value was calculated. The results are shown in the "loaded average" section of Table 12.
The hardness was evaluated using a rheometer (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.), and the maximum load when compressed with a 20 mm cylindrical plunger at a compression speed of 10 mm/s and a clearance of 5 mm was considered as the hardness of each egg gel.

As shown in Comparative Examples 27 and 28, when the amount of water added increases, egg gel becomes difficult to form. On the other hand, when sugar carboxylic acids were used, it was found that egg gel was formed despite the addition of a large amount of water.

As shown in Comparative Examples 23 and 24, when calcium gluconate and calcium lactate were used, an egg gel was formed, but the hardness was lower than when sugar carboxylic acid was used.

From the above, it was shown that sugar carboxylic acids are excellent in the effect of imparting hardness to eggs in gelation.

<Test 8: Evaluation of fish cakes>
Fish cakes were prepared using the following sugar carboxylic acids, and the resulting fish cakes were evaluated for softening during stewing.

(material)
Table 13 shows the ingredients for the fish cake. The sugar carboxylic acids used in the preparation of fish cakes are as follows.
[Sugar carboxylic acid]
Maltooligosaccharide oxide syrup: Product name "Sour Oligo", manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd. Maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide: Product name "Sour Oligo C", manufactured by Sanei Saccharification Co., Ltd.

(Preparation of fish cakes)
The fish cakes were prepared using the following method.
Frozen surimi was partially thawed, mixed with white soy sauce, salt, and ice water, and then other ingredients were added and the mixture was further rubbed and molded and fried at 150°C for 6 minutes to make fish cakes.

(Soaking evaluation - water absorption rate)
Fish cakes were simmered in oden soup (2 hours or 6 hours), weight changes before and after simmering were measured, and water absorption rate (unit: %) was calculated based on the following formula. The results are shown in the "Water Absorption Rate" section of Table 13. In addition, the water absorption rate calculated by the following formula corresponds to the amount of increase in the weight of the fish cake after stewing, when the weight of the fish cake before the start of stewing is set to "100".
Water absorption rate (%) = (Weight of fish cakes after boiling ÷ Weight of fish cakes at the start of boiling x 100) - 100 (before the start of boiling is taken as 100%)

(Evaluation of softening - hardness maintenance rate)
The fish cakes were simmered in oden soup (2 hours or 6 hours), and the hardness before and after simmering was measured using a rheometer (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.) and compressed with a 20 mm cylindrical plunger at a compression speed of 10 mm/s and a clearance of 5 mm. The maximum load at that time was measured, and the hardness after boiling was specified as the hardness maintenance rate (unit: %), where the hardness before boiling was set as 100. The results are shown in the "Hardness Retention Rate" section of Table 13.

As shown in Table 13, it was found that maltooligosaccharide oxide syrup and maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide have the effect of maintaining the hardness of the seafood paste product while suppressing it from becoming soggy.

<Test 9: Sausage evaluation>
Using malto-oligosaccharide calcium oxide (trade name "Sour Oligo C", manufactured by Sanei Toka Co., Ltd.), sausages were prepared according to the formulation shown in Table 14, and their hardness was evaluated.

(Preparation of sausage)
All the ingredients were mixed, cased in sheep intestine, and then boiled at 100°C for 5 minutes to produce sausage.

(Hardness evaluation)
The hardness of the sausage was measured by the following method. The results are shown in the "Hardness" section of Table 14.
The hardness was evaluated using a rheometer (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.), and the maximum load when compressed with a 20 mm cylindrical plunger at a compression speed of 10 mm/s and a clearance of 5 mm was considered as the hardness of each sausage.

As shown in Table 14, the use of maltooligosaccharide calcium oxide increased the hardness of the sausage, making it possible to create a sausage with a strong meaty texture.

Claims (4)

A protein coagulant for blending into protein-containing food and beverages (excluding egg processed foods),
The protein coagulant includes a sugar carboxylic acid with a degree of polymerization of 2 or more containing gluconic acid as a constituent sugar (excluding lactobionic acid), a salt of the sugar carboxylic acid and a divalent mineral, and the sugar carboxylic acid. containing at least one or more components selected from the group consisting of lactones,
In the protein-containing food or drink, the mass ratio (A/B) of the mass (A) of the protein coagulant to the mass (B) of protein is 0.05 or more and 1.5 or less;
Protein coagulant. The protein coagulant according to claim 1, wherein the sugar carboxylic acid contains at least one selected from the group consisting of maltobionic acid and cellobionic acid. The protein coagulant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sugar carboxylic acid is in the form of maltooligosaccharide oxide, cellooligosaccharide oxide, starch syrup oxide, powdered candy oxide, or dextrin oxide. The protein coagulant according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the divalent mineral is calcium or magnesium.

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