JPH10210949A - Flavor improver for food and improvement in flavor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a flavor improver for food capable of alleviating salt roughness, raising palatability under a low salt content and to provide a method for improving a flavor. SOLUTION: This flavor improver for food comprises nigero oligosaccharide as an active ingredient. Salt roughness can be effectively removed by a food mixed with salt with nigero oligosaccharide as a flavor improver and excellent flavor can be maintained even in a low salt content. Preferably 0.1-50 pts.wt. of nigero oligosaccharide based on 100 pts.wt. of salt in a food is added to a food to alleviate salt roughness, to raise palatability of a food even in a low salt content and to improve the flavor of a food.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[Background of the Invention]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a food flavor improving agent containing a nigerooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, and a method for improving the flavor of a food by blending the aforementioned nigerooligosaccharide with a food to which salt is added. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Food can be roughly divided into six elements, namely, safety, nutrition, taste, storability, convenience, and economy. Among them, taste is a very important element. Nowadays, it is called the period of satiety, and even though healthy and inexpensive foods are not delicious, they will never be accepted by consumers. Sweet, sour, salty, bitter,
The above-mentioned palatability is determined by the so-called taste, including the basic taste of umami including pungent and astringent tastes, the flavor added to the body and the flavor, and further the color, shape, sound and the like. Also, among the basic tastes, people are naturally sweet, salty,
It is said that while liking umami, it refuses sourness and bitterness.In particular, most of the tastes of main dishes excluding aperitifs and desserts are salty and umami, and both have an interaction that affects palatability. It is reported to exist (Shizuko Yamaguchi, Food and Containers, 29,570-579 (1988), S. Yamagu
chi et al., J. Food. Sci., 49, 82-85 (1984)).

[0003] Salt is a typical substance exhibiting a salty taste, but in addition to the improvement of taste quality, various improvement effects such as improvement of storage stability by osmotic pressure and improvement of binding property of flour products and kneaded products are known. And is widely used in many foods. The salt content is, for example, 0.8% by weight or more for processed agricultural products,
0.5% by weight or more for processed marine products, 0.4% or more for seasonings, 0.2% or more for processed livestock products, 0.2% or more for cooked foods, 0.1% for snack foods It is said to be more than%. By the way, in foods containing salt, attempts to improve the flavor by taking a so-called "salt corner" to make the salty taste milder and milder have been more strongly demanded than in the past, for example, sweetness such as glycyrrhizin and stevia. There has been proposed a method of simultaneously adding an ingredient, an amino acid such as glycine or glutamic acid, a nucleic acid such as 5'-ribonucleotide, or an organic acid such as succinic acid. However, since salty taste is a persistent and lasting taste, even if, for example, a sweetener is added, a salty or bitter taste will be strongly felt if the sweetener does not continuously exhibit sweetness. . In addition, it has been pointed out that the addition amount of amino acids and nucleic acids is limited by amino acid smell peculiar to amino acids and unique taste quality of nucleic acids, etc., and it is pointed out that it is still insufficient to obtain salt by itself.

[0004] By the way, while it is desired to take salt, the intake of salt itself tends to be reduced due to the arrival of an aging society and the recent increase in the number of adult patients. . However, as described above, salt is indispensable for imparting flavor to foods, and since umami and saltiness have a correlation, it is known that appropriate salt is necessary to feel umami. Yes (Shizuko Yamaguchi, Food and Containers, 29,570
-579 (1988), S. Yamaguchi et al., J. Food.Sci., 49, 82-8
5 (1984)). Therefore, development of a method for improving the flavor of foods that feels a good taste even when the amount of salt is further reduced has been expected. In view of the above, there is an eager need for a method for improving the flavor of foods that satisfies consumer preferences by using low-calorie and low-saltable materials, which are safe and affordable, and in view of the recent diet boom. It had been.

[Summary of the Invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has a safe and economical property. An object of the present invention is to provide a flavor improving agent and a method for improving a flavor of a food, which can give a proper taste even when reduced.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, by adding and blending nigerooligosaccharides, the salty flavor of foods including salt is removed and the flavor is improved. In addition, the present inventors have found that the umami is maintained even when the amount of salt is reduced, and that the umami is extremely useful as a flavor improving agent for foods, thereby completing the present invention. That is, the present invention is a flavor improving agent comprising a nigerooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, and a method for improving the flavor of a food, comprising adding and blending the flavor improving agent.

[Specific description of the invention]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The flavor improving agent for food according to the present invention contains a nigerooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, and the method for improving the flavor of food is carried out by using a nigerooligo as a flavor improving agent for food to which salt is added. As described above, it is characterized by blending sugar, and by using a nigerooligosaccharide, which is a flavor improver having safety and economical efficiency, the flavor is improved by removing the salt corner. In addition, the use of salt can be reduced.

[0008] Nigelooligosaccharides which are the active ingredients of the flavor improver of the present invention include at least one or more α-1,3 glucosidic bonds, such as nigerose, nigerosylglucose and nigerosylmaltose, having a degree of polymerization of 2 or more. And preferably has a glucose polymerization degree of 2
Oligosaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 7, more preferably oligosaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 7. In addition, the nigerooligosaccharide as the flavor improving agent of the present invention may be composed of an oligosaccharide consisting of only α-1,3 glucoside bond and an α-1,3 glucoside bond and another bond (for example, α-1,4 glucoside bond). , Α-1,6 glucosidic bonds or α-1,1, α-1,2 glucosidic bonds).

[0009] Nigerooligosaccharides can be produced by any suitable method, and specifically, can be prepared by the following known methods. For example,
M. Stagey and J.M. M. Webber: M
methodsin Carbohydrate Che
mystry, I, 339-341, Academic
Press (1962) proposes a method for producing a nigerooligosaccharide by hydrolyzing a polysaccharide produced by a microorganism, such as nigeran or ercinan, as a substrate using an enzyme or an acid. Also known is a method of preparing nigerose using a known α-glucosidase transglycosylation / condensation reaction (Kenichi Kanaya et al., Journal of the Japanese Society of Agricultural Chemistry, 53, 385-390 (1979), H. Fujimoto et al., Agric . Bio
l. Chem., 52, 1345-1351 (1988)). Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication
Japanese Patent No. 22958 discloses a method for producing nigerose by allowing a cyclodextrin-forming enzyme to act on a starch hydrolyzate. In addition, one or two or more of glycosyltransferases that provide an α-1,3 glucoside bond to a substrate containing an α-1,4 glucoside-linked polysaccharide or oligosaccharide, specifically Acr
a fungus belonging to the genus emonium and producing a glycosyltransferase that provides an α-1,3 bond, for example, Acremonium
sp. A method for producing a nigerooligosaccharide by reacting a glycosyltransferase prepared by culturing S4G13 (FERM BP-4373) in a conventional manner has also been disclosed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-59559). The nigerooligosaccharide used as the flavor improver of the present invention may be prepared by any method, and is not limited to the above method. However, the most economical method known to date is considered to be the one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
This is a method using a glycosyltransferase (nigero-oligosaccharide-forming enzyme) described in JP-A-59559, and it is preferable to use a nigerooligosaccharide prepared according to this method also in the flavor improving method according to the present invention (Examples described later). .

In the flavor improving agent of the present invention, "containing as an active ingredient" of "containing nigerooligosaccharide as an active ingredient" includes, in addition to nigerooligosaccharide, other ingredients which do not adversely affect the flavor improving action. Means that it may be. That is, in the saccharide (syrup) prepared by the method described above, at least one saccharide such as nigerose, nigerosyl glucose, or nigerosyl maltose is contained.
In addition to oligosaccharides containing two or more α-1,3 glucosidic bonds and having a degree of polymerization of glucose of 2 or more (nigerooligosaccharides), monosaccharides such as glucose, and various oligosaccharides having a bond other than α-1,3 bonds (maltose) Etc.) or dextrin in some cases, but if it contains a nigerooligosaccharide, it can be used in the present invention. Even if the nigerooligosaccharide is nigerose alone, it can be used. Nigerose has a higher effect of the present invention than other nigerooligosaccharides having a high degree of polymerization, and thus exhibits an effect even at a lower concentration. The flavor improver of the present invention may contain a mixed oligosaccharide having a different degree of polymerization, or may separate an oligosaccharide having a desired degree of single polymerization as required (by a chromatographic fractionation method or the like). ) Can also be used. In addition, it goes without saying that the form of the flavor improver may be any form such as lyophilized form, powder form, granule form, in addition to syrup form obtained by the above-mentioned method.

In the present invention, the above-mentioned nigerooligosaccharide is blended into a food. The food to which the target salt is added in the flavor improving method of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the food finally contains salt. Typical products are, for example, processed agricultural products such as pickles, processed meat products such as ham and sausage, processed fish products such as fishery products, cooked products such as hamburgers, seasonings such as sauces and soy sauce,
Instant foods such as instant Chinese noodles and foods compatible with microwave ovens are included. The salt content in these foods generally varies depending on the type, production method, seasoning, etc.,
Usually, the content is low, such as about 0.1% (for example, fruit vinegar) to as high as about 58% (for example, consomme), and some foods for special purposes are out of this range.

In the method for improving the flavor of a food according to the present invention, a nigerooligosaccharide is added to the above-mentioned salt-added food. When blending the nigerooligosaccharide into the food, any method can be used as long as the conditions allow the salt and the nigerooligosaccharide to coexist in the end. For example, in the process of processing the above-mentioned food as a base, before or at the same time as the addition of salt, the nigerooligosaccharide may be blended into the basic food, or may be blended after finishing the processing of the basic food, and the various food production processes. The compounding method suitable for the actual condition of the above can be used. The amount of the nigello-oligosaccharide depends on the amount of salt added to the food, etc., but it is basically sufficient if the nigello-oligosaccharide exhibits an action as a flavor improving agent of the present invention. Generally 10 salt
Nigerooligosaccharide is preferably 1 to 50 parts (weight) with respect to 0 part (weight). When the nigerooligosaccharide is nigerose alone, the effect of the present invention is higher than that of other nigerooligosaccharides as described above. 0.1 to 10 parts (by weight) may be added to 100 parts (by weight).

In the present invention, the function of improving the flavor by blending the above-mentioned nigerooligosaccharides has not been fully elucidated. However, the nigerooligosaccharides are a sweetener having a full aftertaste and a rich taste. This is considered to be due to having a unique taste quality that appropriately enhances the taste quality. Furthermore, as described above, there is a clear correlation between umami and salty taste, and a predetermined salty taste, for example, salt is essential to exhibit a desired umami. It was not possible for a person skilled in the art to reduce the salt in foods while maintaining the same or higher flavor as in the present invention, because of the corresponding decrease. In the present invention, safety, by incorporating a nigerooligosaccharide having economical efficiency, not only is it possible to improve the flavor of the intended food,
It is possible to reduce salt while maintaining the flavor.

[0014]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following Examples, which should not be construed as limiting the technical scope of the present invention. Example 1 Acremonium strain (FERM BP-437) prepared by using a maltose solution having a solid content of 30% by weight as a substrate and prepared by the method described in JP-A-7-59559.
Nigerooligosaccharide synthase produced by 3) is 1 unit / g
The amount of the substrate was added, and the mixture was reacted at pH 7, 55 ° C. for 48 hours to prepare a nigerooligosaccharide syrup. Table 1 shows the sugar composition of the obtained nigerooligosaccharide syrup.

Example 2 Corn starch was liquefied using α-amylase in a conventional manner to prepare a starch saccharified solution having a concentration of 30% by weight and a glucose equivalent of 7. Next, after adjusting the pH of the starch saccharified solution to pH 5, 0.001 part by weight of β-amylase (trade name “β-amylase 1500”, manufactured by Nagase Seikagaku Corporation) was added to 1 part by weight of the starch used as a raw material. , 0.0001 parts by weight of isoamylase (Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratory Co., Ltd.)
The reaction was performed for 4 hours to obtain a substrate. Thereafter, a nigerooligosaccharide-forming enzyme produced by a strain of the genus Acremonium (FERM BP-4373), prepared by the method described in JP-A-7-59559, was added to the substrate in an amount of 0.8 units / g substrate. The reaction was carried out at 55 ° C. for 48 hours to prepare a nigerooligosaccharide syrup. Table 1 shows the sugar composition of the obtained nigerooligosaccharide syrup.

[0016] * Numerical values in the table indicate% by weight per sugar solids. The parentheses in the trisaccharide, tetrasaccharide and higher saccharides indicate the nigerooligosaccharide content per saccharide solid content. Therefore, the total amount of nigerooligosaccharides is the total amount of nigerooligosaccharides of nigerose, trisaccharide, tetrasaccharide or more. The enzyme activity of the nigerooligosaccharide-forming enzyme was determined by adding 0.25 ml of the enzyme solution to 0.75 ml of a maltose solution obtained by dissolving maltose at a concentration of 0.66% by weight in 20 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.0. The amount of the enzyme that produces 1 μmol of glucose per minute from the maltose substrate when reacted at 37 ° C. was defined as one unit.

Example 3 Using the nigerooligosaccharide syrup prepared in Example 2, 10 g of an aqueous solution of nigerooligosaccharide was used.
/ 100 g (in terms of solid content), aqueous solution of isomaltoligosaccharide (Isomalto 500, manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd.) 12 g /
100 g (in terms of solid content), and an aqueous fructooligosaccharide solution (Mayoligo G, manufactured by Meiji Seika Co., Ltd.) 10 g / 1
Using 100 g (in terms of solid content) (each 6 g of aqueous sucrose solution)
/ Prepared to a sweetness of 100 g), and the change over time in the sweetness of each oligosaccharide was sensory-evaluated by 10 panelists, and the feeling of the aroma and flavor was freely described.
FIG. 1 shows that the sweetness of the nigerooligosaccharides is the slowest, and that the sweetness persists at a place where the sweetness intensity is relatively high, which is a characteristic taste quality. In addition, the free description of the fragrance and flavor in Tables 2 and 3 also confirms the characteristic flavor with a relaxing feeling, with the aftertaste of the nigerooligosaccharide.

[0018]

Table 3 Flavor Nigello-oligosaccharides; mellow, heavy, lingering sweetness Isomaltooligosaccharides; slight aftertaste, a bitter taste, but palatable fructo-oligosaccharides;

Example 4 Example 2 in various concentrations of saline
The nigero-oligosaccharide syrup prepared in the above was added to take a "salt corner", and a so-called salting effect was evaluated by a panel of 10 persons.

Table 4 Salt concentration Nigerooligosaccharide Salting effect Nigerooligosaccharide / Nigerooligosaccharide (%) Syrup added NaCl (%) Concentration (%) contained in wrap Nigerose / NaCl (%) 2 0.1 △ 1.65 0.28 0.5 ◎ 8.25 1.4 1 ○ 16.5 2.8 5 * 82.5 14 10 * 165 28 20 * 330 566 0.1 × 0. 55 0.09 0.5 Δ2.75 0.47 1 ◎ 5.5 0.93 5 ◎ 27.5 4.67 10 Δ55 9.33 20 * 110 18.67 10 0.1 × 0.33 0.06 0.5 △ 1.65 0.28 1 ◎ 3.3 0.565 5 ◎ 16.5 2.8 10 ○ 33 5.6 20 * 66 11.2 20 0.1 × 0.170 0.03 0.5 △ 0.83 0.14 1 ○ 1.65 0.28 5 ○ 8.25 1.4 10 ○ 16.5 2.8 20 △ 33 5.6 Remarks X: Feel the salt directly and do not feel the effect of salting. Δ: The salty taste is slightly reduced, and the salt feels slightly salty. I feel the effect of salting, but I also feel some taste other than salty, and I am a little worried. ；: Feel salty effect. A: Strong salting effect is felt. *: Strong taste different from salty taste.

Example 5 Using the nigerooligosaccharide syrup prepared in Example 2, 10% NaCl-1% nigerooligosaccharide syrup solution (B) and 10% NaCl-1% isomaltoligo based on 10% NaCl solution Sensory evaluation was carried out by 10 panelists on the salting effect of the sugar syrup solution (C). Table 5 shows the results.

Example 6 Similar to Example 5, 4% Na
The salting effect of the 4% NaCl-1% nigerooligosaccharide syrup solution (B) and the 4% NaCl-1% isomaltooligosaccharide syrup solution (C) based on the Cl solution was as follows.
Sensory evaluation was performed by 0 panelists. Table 5 shows the results.

[0024] Remarks: Equivalent to standard (0), with strong salt corner (-2)
Continuous sensory evaluation was carried out until a strong salt was found (+2), and the average of evaluations by panelists (10 persons) was shown.

Example 7 A report (S. Yamaguchi et al., J. Food. Sc) in which the correlation between umami and saltiness was analyzed in detail.
i., 49, 82-85 (1984)) and 20 g of bonito flakes in boiling water 11
After gently stirring, the supernatant kept for 3 minutes was sifted, and MSG, NaCl and each oligosaccharide were added in predetermined amounts and dissolved to prepare each test solution. 0.38% MSG-0.8
1% NaCl-smooth juice, 0.38% MSG-0.52
% NaCl-smooth juice and 0.38% MSG-0.4
It is pointed out in the above report that the taste and flavor decrease in the order of 0% NaCl-sashimi soup. First, these three test solutions were prepared, and ten panelists who could accurately recognize the taste and flavor were selected. . Next, 0.38% MSG
-0.52% NaCl-0.38% M based on shampoo
SG-0.52% NaCl-1% nigerooligosaccharide syrup-smooth juice (B) and 0.38% MSG-0.52
% NaCl-1% isomaltooligosaccharide syrup-Smooth juice (C) was organoleptically evaluated for its umami and overall taste. The results are shown in Table 6.

Example 8 0.38% as in Example 7
MSG-0.30% based on 0.40% NaCl-smooth juice
8% MSG-0.40% NaCl-1% nigerooligosaccharide syrup-smooth juice (B) and 0.38% MSG-
0.40% NaCl-1% isomaltooligosaccharide syrup-Smooth juice (C) was organoleptically evaluated for umami and overall taste. The results are shown in Table 6.

Example 9 0.38% as in Example 7
MSG-0.52% NaCl-0.3 based on the soda juice
8% MSG-0.52% NaCl-1% nigerooligosaccharide syrup-smooth juice (B) and 0.38% MSG-
0.40% NaCl-1% nigerooligosaccharide syrup-Smooth juice (C) was organoleptically evaluated for umami and overall taste. The results are shown in Table 6. The results of Examples 7, 8, and 9 show that, unlike isomaltooligosaccharides, nigerooligosaccharides contribute to enhancing umami and flavor, and are promising for maintaining flavor under low salt.

[0028] Remarks: Assuming that the criterion is equal (0), umami was considerably reduced or continuous sensory evaluation was performed from extremely unpleasant (−2) to strong umami or extremely good (+2), and the panelists (1)
(0 persons).

Example 10 After washing 2.0 kg of raw soybeans with water, the soybeans were sufficiently immersed in water to swell, and the pressure soaker (1 kg / cm) was used.
² ) Cook for 15-20 minutes to prepare steamed soybeans. Thereafter, the steamed soybeans were cooled to 35 to 40 ° C, and then commercially available koji 1.
2 kg is loosened, and the salted koji to which 1 kg of salt is added is gradually added, and the soybeans are ground to a degree that collapses to 1/2 to 1/3, and then a nigerooligosaccharide syrup (prepared in Example 2) 1
Add 500 ml of brine containing 00 g, mix thoroughly and mix. The surface is coated with 0.2 kg of salt, covered with sterilized gauze, placed on a dish, and weighed with a weight for about three months to prepare. With the addition of nigero-oligosaccharides, the salty corners are removed, giving a fast-boiled miso with a rich, mellow taste.

Example 11 0.8 L of soy sauce and 0.2 of water
l, 30 g of common salt and heating to about 70 ° C., then adding 300 g of sugar, 30 g of starch syrup, 10 g of nigerooligosaccharide syrup (prepared in Example 2), and 0.5 g of sodium glutamate to dissolve, cool, and then cool and add glacial acetic acid. 1 ml and 1 ml of 50% lactic acid are added to prepare a pickling solution. This pickling liquid has a mild and mild taste due to the addition of the nigerooligosaccharide. In addition, 70% salted radish,
15% salted eggplant, 7.5% salted tamame, 7% salted cucumbers and 0.5% shiso vegetables are salted out for 2 to 5 hours, and dewatered and pressed with a pressing machine or dehydrator to make the above ingredients. To 1 kg, the above-mentioned prepared pickling solution is added and pickled (winter) for about one week to prepare Fukujin pickle. With the addition of nigello-oligosaccharides, the salty corners are removed, resulting in a rich, mellow flavored Fukujinzuke.

Example 12 Drained cucumbers 1.5 after washing with water
After immersing the kg in saline (134 g / l), cover with a lid and soak for one week. By the way, the salt solution for pickling is adjusted to have the above concentration every day. Cucumber heads and tails were pierced with a toothpick-sized hole, washed in running water for about 4 hours, and desalted. on the other hand,
250 g of sugar, 50 g of nigerooligosaccharide syrup (prepared in Example 2), spices (1 g of cinnamon, 2 g of gloves, 0.5 g of red pepper, 0.5 g of laurel) and 2 g of chemical seasoning were added to 1 liter of vinegar and heated to 75 ° C. Thereafter, the mixture is cooled sufficiently, salted cucumbers are put in, sealed with a polyfilm, soaked for another week, and sterilized in a 60 ° C. water bath for 30 minutes to prepare pickles. The addition of nigero-oligosaccharides reduces saltiness and sourness, resulting in rich, mellow flavored pickles.

Example 13 Carrot 10 g, Burdock 1
With 0g as the head, pull out the grease. Frozen surimi 300
g was put into a food cutter as it was half-thawed, and 3 g of salt, 1 g of nigerooligosaccharide (prepared in Example 2), 9 g of starch, and 3 ml of mirin were added and mixed and stirred. Take out from the cutter, mix the vegetables so that the temperature does not rise, shape it into the desired shape, fry it until the oil becomes a golden brown color of about 175 ° C, and adjust the fish fry. The addition of nigero-oligosaccharide results in a deep-tasting Satsuage.

Example 14 1.8 g of sodium chloride, 0.1 g of MSG.
1 g, dashi stock 0.7 g, sugar 1.5 g, nigerooligosaccharide syrup (prepared in Example 2) 0.6 g, bonito powder
5 g, soy sauce 8 ml and water 3.2 ml were added and dissolved.
Adjust the noodle soup. With the addition of nigello-oligosaccharides, the noodle soup has a deep and mellow taste.

Example 15 1.5 kg of Dutch Gouda cheese crushed by a chopper was put into an emulsifying kettle, and 75 ml of water and K1 (Holsen salt: citric acid 3) were added.
After adding 45 g of a mixture of sodium, sodium hexamethacrylate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate and 10 g of a nigerooligosaccharide syrup (prepared in Example 2), the mixture is heated and stirred by indirect heating using a steam jacket. After reaching a predetermined temperature in 6 minutes, stop heating, further agitate and degas under reduced pressure to collect a desired cheese, fill and package in a container, cool and store at about 5 ° C, and process cheese. adjust. The addition of the nigello-oligosaccharide results in a processed cheese with a deep and mellow taste.

[0035]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a flavor improving agent and a flavor improving method for effectively removing salt and improving the flavor of a food by adding a nigerooligosaccharide to the food to which salt is added. . According to the present invention, not only is it possible to improve the flavor of the intended food,
It is also possible to reduce salt while maintaining umami and flavor. This implies that there is a clear correlation between umami and salty taste, and a certain salty taste such as salt is essential to exhibit a desired umami. Is expected to decline,
It is understood that it was unexpected for those skilled in the art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the change in sweetness over time of nigerooligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharides, and flaftoligosaccharides.

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI A23C 19/082 A23C 19/082 A23L 1/202 104 A23L 1/202 104 1/237 1/237

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A food flavor improving agent comprising a nigerooligosaccharide as an active ingredient. 2. A method for improving the flavor of a food, comprising adding a nigerooligosaccharide to the food to which salt is added. 3. The method for improving the flavor of a food according to claim 2, wherein 0.1 to 50 parts (by weight) of nigerooligosaccharide is added to 100 parts (by weight) of salt in the food. 4. The flavor improving method according to claim 2, wherein the nigerooligosaccharide is prepared by reacting a polysaccharide or an oligosaccharide linked to α-1,4 glucoside with a nigerooligosaccharide-forming enzyme.