TW202342008A - oral composition, and method for suppressing bitterness derived from ergothioneine and odor derived from cereal oil or [gamma]-oryzanol - Google Patents

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an oral composition which contains ergothioneine or a salt thereof and a cereal oil or [gamma]-oryzanol and in which the bitterness derived from ergothioneine or the salt thereof and the odor derived from the cereal oil or [gamma]-oryzanol are suppressed. The present invention pertains to an oral composition containing the following components (A) and (B): (A) ergothioneine or a salt thereof; and (B) a cereal oil, said cereal oil containing component (B') [gamma]-oryzanol, wherein the weight ratio of component (B') (in terms of cycloartenol ferulic acid ester) to component (A) (in terms of ergothioneine) [(B')/(A)] is 0.3-10.

Description

Oral composition, and method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine and the odor derived from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol

The present invention relates to an oral composition containing ergothioneine or its salt and cereal oil. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an oral composition containing ergothioneine or a salt thereof and γ-oryzanol. The present invention relates to a method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine and the odor derived from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol.

Ergothionea is one of the hydrophilic sulfur-containing amino acids and is known to have various physiological activities including antioxidant capacity. Regarding the physiological activity of ergothioneine, for example, Patent Document 1 reports that it has an immune response-activating interleukin production-promoting effect. Since ergothioneine has various physiological activities, it has attracted attention in recent years as a food, cosmetic or medicinal use.

γ-oryzanol is the general name for esters obtained by condensation of ferulic acid and sterols. It is one of the components contained in the bran and germ of cereals. γ-oryzanol or cereal oils containing it are known to have physiological activities such as antioxidant effects, cholesterol-lowering effects, anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-allergic effects, and have been widely used in foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, Feed etc. [Prior technical literature] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-218431

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, since ergothioneine has useful physiological activities, foods such as supplements containing ergothioneine or its salts are useful for maintaining or improving health. In addition, since γ-oryzanol or oils from cereals containing these also have useful physiological activities as mentioned above, it is generally believed that by ingesting ergothioneine or its salts and γ-oryzanol or oils containing the same A variety of useful effects can be expected from the oral composition of cereal oils. However, ergothioneine or its salts have a unique taste, specifically an unpleasant bitterness that is harsh on the tongue, and there is room for improvement as an oral composition. In addition, cereal oils are oils derived from the bran and/or germ of cereals, and cereal oils containing γ-oryzanol have an unpleasant taste, specifically, bran smell, if blended into an oral composition. , then sometimes odor can be a problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide oil or γ-oryzanol derived from ergothioneine or a salt thereof and cereals, but which has a bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or a salt thereof and oil or γ-oryzanol derived from cereals. Oral composition that suppresses odor. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and the odor derived from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol. [Means to solve the problem]

As a result of the inventors' efforts to solve the above-mentioned problems, they found that by combining ergothioneine or a salt thereof and γ-oryzanol or an oil containing these cereals at a specific ratio, inhibition of The bitter taste comes from ergothioneine or its salts and the odor comes from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol.

The present invention includes the following compositions and the like. [1] An oral composition containing the following components (A) and (B): (A) ergothioneine or a salt thereof, and (B) a cereal oil containing the component (B' ): γ-oryzanol, weight ratio of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) ((B')/(A)) It is 0.3~10. [2] The composition according to the above [1], wherein the cereal is rice. [3] The composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the cereal oil is rice germ oil. [4] An oral composition containing the following components (A) and (B'): (A) ergothioneine or a salt thereof, and (B') γ-oryzanol, component (B') The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) (in terms of cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (in terms of ergothioneine) is 0.3 to 10. [5] The composition according to the above [1] to [4], wherein the ratio of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) is 0.4 to 5. [6] The composition according to any one of the above [1] to [5], which is a food or drink. [7] A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and suppressing the odor of oil derived from cereals, which contains the following components (A) and (B): (A) Ergothioneine A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from component (A) and the odor derived from component (B) in an oral composition of its salt and (B) cereal oil containing component (B') : γ-oryzanol, this method is based on the weight ratio of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) ((B')/( A)) Adjust to 0.3~10. [8] A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and suppressing the odor derived from γ-oryzanol, which contains the following components (A) and (B'): (A) A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from component (A) and the odor derived from component (B') in an oral composition of ergothioneine or its salt and (B') γ-oryzanol, which method is The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of component (B') (converted as cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted as ergothioneine) is adjusted to 0.3 to 10. [Effects of the invention]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide oil or γ-oryzanol derived from ergothioneine or a salt thereof and cereals, but having a bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or a salt thereof and oil or γ-oryzanol derived from cereals. Oral composition that suppresses odor. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and the odor derived from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol.

The oral composition of the first invention contains (A) ergothioneine or its salt (component (A)) and (B) oil of cereals (component (B)), and the oil of said cereals contains (B')γ - Oryzanol (component (B')), weight ratio of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) ((B')/ (A)) is 0.3~10.

The oral composition of the second invention contains (A) ergothioneine or its salt (component (A)) and (B') γ-oryzanol (component (B')), component (B') ( The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of cycloartenyl ferulate) to component (A) (calculated as ergothioneine) is 0.3 to 10.

In this specification, when only "the present invention" is mentioned, it is considered to mean matters common to the first and second inventions.

Ergothione is a type of sulfur-containing amino acid. In the present invention, ergothioneine is preferably L-ergothioneine. The salt of ergothioneine is not particularly limited as long as it is a pharmacologically acceptable salt or a salt that is acceptable in foods and beverages, and it may be either an acidic salt or an alkaline salt. Examples of acidic salts include inorganic acid salts such as hydrochloride, sulfate, nitrate, and phosphate; acetate, citrate, maleate, malate, oxalate, lactate, and succinate. , fumarate, propionate and other organic acid salts. Examples of the alkaline salt include alkali metal salts such as sodium salt and potassium salt; alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium salt and magnesium salt; and the like.

Ergothioneine or its salts are not subject to any restrictions on their form or production method. Ergothioneine or its salt can be chemically synthesized or extracted and refined from natural products. L-ergothioneine is contained in large amounts in the Golden/Yellow Oyster Mushroom (scientific name: Pleurotus cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus), a mushroom belonging to the genus Pleurotus. L-ergothioneine is also included in Agaricus bisporus (scientific name: Agaricus bisporus), Gray Oyster Mushroom (scientific name: Pleurotus ostreatus), such as white button mushrooms, crimini mushrooms, and Portabella mushrooms. ), shiitake mushrooms (scientific name: Lentinula edodes), maitake mushrooms (scientific name: Grifola frondosa), Ganoderma lucidum (scientific name: Ganoderma lucidum), Hericium erinaceus (scientific name: Hericium erinaceus), willow pine mushroom (scientific name: Agrocybe aegerita), apricot mushroom (scientific name : Cantharellus cibarius), boletus (scientific name: Boletus edulis), morels (scientific name: Morchella esculenta) and other mushrooms. When L-ergothioneine is obtained from a natural product, it is preferable to extract it from Pleurotus aureus. Ergothioneine or its salts can also be produced by microbial fermentation. Ergothioneine or its salts can also be isolated.

The oil of cereals is not particularly limited as long as it contains γ-oryzanol. Examples of cereals include rice, corn, wheat, and the like. As the cereal, rice is preferred. The type of rice is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, any of Japanese, Indian, and Javanese glutinous rice, japonica rice, red rice, purple-black rice, and the like. As the above-mentioned cereal oil, rice germ oil is preferred, and the form in which the composition of the first invention contains rice germ oil is one of the preferred embodiments. According to the present invention, the odor originating from rice germ oil can be effectively reduced.

The method for producing cereal oil is not particularly limited, and examples include a method of squeezing the bran and/or germ of cereals, a method of extracting the bran and/or germ of cereals using a solvent, and the like. Commercially available cereal oil can also be used.

γ-oryzanol is the general name for esters obtained by condensation of ferulic acid and sterols, and is one of the components contained in the bran of cereals. In the present invention, γ-oryzanol may be one compound or two or more compounds. The sterol constituting γ-oryzanol is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include α-sitosterol, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, α-sitosteranol, and β-sitosterol. Alkanols, stigmastanol, rapestanol, brassicosterol, fucosterol, isofucosterol, spinachsterol, avenasterol, cycloartinol, 24-methylenecycloborane Alcohol, cyclobranol, cyclosadol, 24-methyl-23-dehydrocyclosadol, cyclolaudenol, butyrospermol , parkeol, etc. As the above-mentioned sterol, cycloartenol, 24-methylenecycloboraneol, β-sitosterol, and campesterol are preferred. γ-oryzanol is selected from the group consisting of cycloartenol ferulate, 24-methylenecycloartenol ferulate, β-sitosterol ferulate and campesterol ferulate. At least one form of the group is one of the preferred aspects of the present invention.

The γ-oryzanol used in the present invention is not subject to any restrictions on its form or production method. γ-oryzanol can be chemically synthesized or extracted and refined from natural products. Specific examples of methods for producing γ-oryzanol include extraction and purification from cereals. In addition, commercially available γ-oryzanol can also be used.

In the composition of the present invention, the weight ratio of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) ((B')/(A)) It is 0.3~10. Ergothioneine or its salts have a pungent and bitter taste. In addition, cereal oil or γ-oryzanol also has a unique odor. If the weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) is within the above range, it can be suppressed The bitter taste originating from ergothioneine or its salts can also suppress the odor originating from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol. Therefore, continuous intake of ergothioneine or its salt, cereal oil, or γ-oryzanol becomes easy. The weight ratio is more preferably 0.4 to 7, still more preferably 0.5 to 5, still more preferably 0.6 to 4, and particularly preferably 0.7 to 3. In this specification, the converted amount of ergothioneine or similar expressions mean the amount in the case of ergothioneine, and the molar number multiplier of the salt in the case of ergothioneine salts. Value obtained based on the molecular weight of ergothioneine. The amount converted from cycloartenyl ferulate or a similar expression means the amount when γ-oryzanol is cycloartenyl ferulate. When γ-oryzanol is cycloartenol, it means the amount. In the case of esters of sterols other than thiol and ferulic acid, this means the value obtained by multiplying the molar number of the ester by the molecular weight of cycloartinol ferulic acid ester.

The content of component (A) (ergothioneine or its salt) contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the weight ratio of component (B') to component (A) is within the above range. It can be set according to its shape, etc. The content of component (A) in the composition of the present invention is, for example, preferably 0.1% by weight or more, more preferably 0.5% by weight or more, and even more preferably 1% by weight or more in terms of ergothioneine. , In addition, it is preferably 50% by weight or less, more preferably 20% by weight or less, and still more preferably 10% by weight or less. In one aspect, the content of component (A) in the composition of the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 50% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 20% by weight, even more preferably 1 to 20% by weight, in terms of ergothioneine. 10% by weight. The content of ergothioneine can be determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

The content of component (B') (γ-oryzanol) contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the weight ratio of component (B') to component (A) is within the above range. Set according to its form, etc. The total content of component (B') in the composition of the present invention is, for example, preferably 0.1% by weight or more, more preferably 1% by weight or more, in terms of cycloartenol ferulate. Preferably, it is 2 weight% or more, and particularly preferably, it is 5 weight% or more. In addition, 90 weight% or less is more preferable, 70 weight% or less is more preferable, 50 weight% or less is still more preferable, and 40 weight% or less is especially preferable. In one aspect, the total content of component (B') in the composition of the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 90% by weight, more preferably 1 to 70% by weight, in terms of cycloartenol ferulate. , more preferably 2 to 50% by weight, particularly preferably 5 to 40% by weight. When two or more kinds of γ-oryzanol are contained, the above-mentioned total content is the total content of these. The content of component (B’) can be measured based on the absorbance at 315 nm by dissolving γ-oryzanol in the composition in a solvent. To measure the content of component (B'), it is preferable to measure the absorbance at 315 nm after purifying γ-oryzanol from the composition by a known method if necessary. The above solvent is preferably heptane or hexane.

The content of component (B) (cereal oil) contained in the composition of the first invention is not particularly limited as long as the weight ratio of component (B') to component (A) is within the above range. It is set according to its shape, etc. The content of component (B) in the composition of the present invention is preferably 10 to 90% by weight, more preferably 20 to 80% by weight, and even more preferably 30 to 70% by weight. In the case of oils containing two or more types of cereals, the above content is the total content of these.

In the composition of the present invention, the content of component (A) is preferably 1 to 100 mg, more preferably 2 to 50 mg, and still more preferably 5 to 25 mg in terms of ergothioneine per day for an adult. The optimal dosage is 5 to 20 mg. In the composition of the present invention, the content of component (B') is the daily intake of an adult in terms of cycloartenyl ferulate, preferably 1 to 500 mg, more preferably 1 to 250 mg, still more preferably It is 1~100mg.

Ergothioneine or its salts and cereal oils or γ-oryzanol are compounds that are contained in natural products or foods and drinks and have been consumed. Therefore, from the viewpoint of safety, it is generally considered that ergothioneine or its salts and cereal oils or γ-oryzanol are less problematic in terms of daily intake, for example. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a composition that is highly safe and in which the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and the odor derived from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol are suppressed, making it easy to ingest.

As mentioned above, ergothioneine or its salts are known to exert various physiological activities or health functions. For example, they are known to have antioxidant effects, brain function improving effects, anti-aging effects, eye disease improving effects, whitening effects, and ultraviolet absorbing effects. Melanin production inhibitory effect, reactive oxygen species elimination effect, elastase activity inhibitory effect, wrinkle formation inhibitory effect, skin sagging inhibitory effect, autophagy promotion effect, etc. Therefore, the composition of the present invention can be suitably used for antioxidant, for improving brain function, for anti-aging, for eye diseases, for whitening, for absorbing ultraviolet rays, for inhibiting melanin production, and for eliminating activity Oxygen species is used to hinder elastase activity, inhibit wrinkle formation, inhibit skin sagging, promote autophagy, etc.

γ-oryzanol is known to exert various health functions such as antioxidant effect, cholesterol-lowering effect, anti-inflammatory effect, and anti-allergic effect. Since the composition of the present invention contains at least one kind of γ-oryzanol, it can also be used to obtain the above-mentioned effects exerted by γ-oryzanol.

The composition of the present invention can be used in any of therapeutic use (medical use) or non-therapeutic use (non-medical use). The so-called non-therapeutic does not include the concept of medical behavior, that is, human surgery, treatment or diagnosis. The composition of the present invention can be made into the form of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, feed, etc. The composition of the present invention may also be a material or preparation that is blended into foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, feeds, etc. and used.

The composition of the present invention is a composition for oral use. Specific examples of the composition for oral use include food and beverages, pharmaceuticals for oral use, quasi-drugs, feeds, etc. Preferably, they are food, drink, or oral use. Pharmaceuticals, preferably food and beverages.

The composition of the present invention may contain any additives and any ingredients in addition to ergothioneine or its salts, cereal oil or γ-oryzanol, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. These additives and ingredients can be selected according to the form of the composition, etc., and those that can be generally used in oral compositions such as food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, and feeds can be used. When the composition of the present invention is made into foods, drinks, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, feeds, etc., the production method is not particularly limited and can be produced by a general method. In one aspect, the composition of the present invention may also be composed of ergothioneine or its salt and oil of cereals containing γ-oryzanol. The form of the oral composition of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be solid (powder, granular, tablet, etc.), liquid, paste, etc.

For example, when the composition of the present invention is made into food and beverages, ergothioneine or its salt and cereal oil or γ-oryzanol can be blended with ingredients that can be used in food and beverages (for example, food materials, Food additives, etc.) used as needed to make a variety of food and beverages. Food and beverages are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include general food and beverages, health foods, health supplements, health drinks, foods with functional labels, foods for specific health uses, and foods and beverages for patients. The above-mentioned health food, health supplement food, food with functional labeling, food for specific health use, etc. can be prepared into fine granules, tablets, granules, powders, capsules, chewable tablets, dry syrups, syrups, and liquids. It is used in various preparation forms such as beverages, beverages, and liquid foods.

When the composition of the present invention is made into a pharmaceutical or quasi-drug, for example, ergothioneine or its salt and cereal oil or γ-oryzanol may be blended with a pharmacologically acceptable carrier, Additives, etc., may be added as necessary to produce pharmaceuticals or quasi-drugs in various dosage forms. Such carriers, additives, etc. can be used as long as they can be used in pharmaceuticals or quasi-drugs and are pharmacologically acceptable. Examples include excipients, binders, disintegrants, lubricants, antioxidants, and colorants. 1 or more of the above. Dosage forms for oral administration as pharmaceuticals or quasi-drugs include liquids, tablets, powders, fine granules, granules, sugar-coated tablets, capsules, suspensions, emulsions, chewable tablets, and the like.

When the composition of the present invention is made into feed, at least one selected from the group consisting of ergothioneine or its salt and cereal oil or γ-oryzanol may be blended into the feed. . Feed additives are also included in the feed. Examples of the feed include feeds for cattle, pigs, chickens, sheep, horses, etc.; feeds for small animals such as rabbits, rats, mice, etc.; and pet foods for dogs, cats, birds, etc. .

The subjects who ingest or administer the composition of the present invention (which may also be referred to as administration subjects) are not particularly limited. Preferably it is a human or non-human mammal, more preferably a human being.

The present invention also encompasses the following methods. A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and suppressing the odor derived from cereal oil, which is an orally administered product containing (A) ergothioneine or its salt and (B) cereal oil In a composition, a method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from component (A) and the odor derived from component (B), wherein the cereal oil contains component (B'): γ-oryzanol, the method is to combine the component (B The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of ') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) is adjusted to 0.3 to 10.

The present invention further includes the following methods. A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and suppressing the odor derived from γ-oryzanol, which method contains (A) ergothioneine or its salt and (B') γ-oryzanol A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from component (A) and the odor derived from component (B') in an oral composition of vitamins by adding component (B') (cycloartenol ferulate (Conversion) The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) relative to component (A) (conversion of ergothioneine) is adjusted to 0.3 to 10.

The above-mentioned weight ratio ((B')/(A)) can be adjusted by adjusting the blending amount of each component during preparation of the oral composition.

By the above method, the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and the odor derived from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol can be effectively suppressed. By suppressing unpleasant tastes (bitterness and odor) derived from ergothioneine or its salts and cereal oils or γ-oryzanol, the taste of the oral composition can be improved. In the above method, ergothioneine or its salt, cereal oil or γ-oryzanol and preferred aspects thereof are the same as the above-mentioned oral composition of the present invention. The preferred range of the weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) is also consistent with the present invention. The oral composition is the same.

By the above method, the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salts and the odor derived from cereal oil or γ-oryzanol can be suppressed, but it can also be combined with other bitter taste suppressing methods and/or odor suppressing methods. Make a combination. Other methods for suppressing bitterness or odor include, for example, a method of adding a sweetener or a flavoring agent to a component that has a bitter or odor and formulating it; and a method of coating a component that has a bitter or odor with a sugar coating and Methods of formulation; or methods of sealing in capsules and formulating them, etc.

Cereal oil or γ-oryzanol is useful for inhibiting the bitter taste of ergothioneine or its salts. The present invention also includes the use of (B) cereal oil, which is used to suppress the bitter taste derived from (A) ergothioneine or its salt. The preferred amount of cereal oil used is the weight ratio of (B') γ-oryzanol to (A) ergothioneine or its salt (ergothioneine conversion) ((B')/(A)) The weight ratio is preferably 0.3 or more, and more preferably, the weight ratio is 0.3 to 10.

Ergothioneine or its salts are used to suppress the odor of cereal oil or γ-oryzanol. The present invention also includes the use of (A) ergothioneine or its salt, which is used to suppress the odor of (B) cereal oil or γ-oryzanol. The usage amount of ergothioneine or its salt is preferably the weight ratio of (B') γ-oryzanol to (A) ergothioneine or its salt (ergothioneine conversion) ((B')/ (A)) is an amount of 0.3 or more, and more preferably, the weight ratio is an amount of 0.3 to 10.

In this specification, the numerical range represented by the lower limit value and the upper limit value, that is, "lower limit value ~ upper limit value", includes these lower limit values and upper limit values. For example, the range represented by “1 to 2” means 1 or more and 2 or less, and includes 1 and 2. In this specification, the upper and lower limits can be set as ranges based on any combination. [Example]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on examples. In addition, the present invention is not limited to these Examples.

The raw materials used in the following evaluation tests are as follows. (A) Ergothioneine: raw material containing 100% L-ergothioneine (B) Cereal oil: rice germ oil (γ-oryzanol content (calculated as cycloartenol ferulate) 25% by weight)

<Example 1> The above-mentioned raw materials (A) and (B) in the amounts shown in Table 1 were mixed to prepare oral compositions (samples 1 to 7) containing ergothioneine and cereal oil. For the obtained samples, three evaluators familiar with sensory evaluation performed sensory evaluation. Compare the content of (B) rice germ oil, (B') γ-oryzanol content (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) and (B') γ-oryzanol in samples 1 to 7 relative to ( A) The weight ratio of ergothioneine ((B')/(A)) is shown in Table 1.

Each evaluator placed the entire amount of the prepared sample (for example, in the case of sample 1, 20 mg in total of 10 mg of ergothioneine and 10 mg of rice germ oil) directly on the tongue, and evaluated the content derived from ergothioneine based on the following criteria The intensity of the bitterness comes from the intensity of the odor (bran smell) of rice germ oil containing γ-oryzanol.

(Based on the evaluation of the bitterness of ergothioneine) The bitterness derived from ergothioneine is evaluated on the following scale of 1 to 5 (5 steps). As a reference score, the bitterness intensity of the above (A) ergothioneine (10 mg) was set as 5 points (Control 1). The evaluations of the three evaluators were statistically calculated, and the average value (point) is shown in the evaluation results in Table 1. 5 points: The bitter taste derived from ergothioneine is strongly felt 4 points: Feel the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine 3 points: A slight bitter taste derived from ergothioneine 2 points: The bitter taste derived from ergothioneine is not felt very much. 1 point: No bitter taste derived from ergothioneine is felt

(Based on the evaluation criteria for the odor of rice germ oil containing γ-oryzanol) The odor derived from rice germ oil containing γ-oryzanol was evaluated on the following scale of 1 to 5 (5 steps). As a base score, the intensity of the odor originating from the rice germ oil that is felt when the rice germ oil (10 mg) of the above (B) is placed on the tongue is set as 5 points (Control 2). The evaluations of the three evaluators were statistically calculated, and the average value (point) is shown in the evaluation results in Table 1. 5 points: The odor originating from rice germ oil is strongly felt 4 points: Feel the odor originating from rice germ oil 3 points: Slightly smell of rice germ oil 2 points: I don’t feel the odor originating from rice germ oil. 1 point: Did not feel the odor originating from rice germ oil

"Bitterness" in Table 1 means bitterness derived from ergothioneine, and "stink" means odor derived from rice germ oil containing γ-oryzanol. When the average value of the evaluation of the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine and the evaluation of the odor derived from rice germ oil containing γ-oryzanol are both less than 4.0 points, the evaluation is that the bitter taste is derived from ergothioneine. And the odor originating from rice germ oil or γ-oryzanol is suppressed.

When rice germ oil containing γ-oryzanol was not blended, the tongue-piercing bitterness derived from ergothioneine was strongly felt (Control 1). On the other hand, in the case of rice germ oil containing only γ-oryzanol, the odor originating from the rice germ oil or γ-oryzanol was strongly felt (Control 2). The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of (B') γ-oryzanol (calculated as cycloartenyl ferulate) to (A) ergothioneine is in the range of 0.3 to 10 In the case of Samples 2 to 5 and Sample 7, both the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine and the odor derived from rice germ oil or γ-oryzanol were effectively alleviated.

Claims (8)

An oral composition containing the following components (A) and (B): (A) Ergothioneine or its salt, and (B) Cereal oil, The cereal oil contains ingredient (B’): γ-oryzanol, The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of component (B') (converted as cycloartenyl ferulate) to component (A) (converted as ergothioneine) is 0.3 to 10. Such as the composition of claim 1, wherein the cereal is rice. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cereal oil is rice germ oil. An oral composition containing the following components (A) and (B’): (A) Ergothioneine or its salt, and (B’)γ-oryzanol, The weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of component (B') (converted as cycloartenyl ferulate) to component (A) (converted as ergothioneine) is 0.3 to 10. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the weight ratio of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) is ((B')/ (A)) is 0.4~5. If the composition of claim 1 or 2 is a food or beverage. A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and suppressing the odor derived from cereal oil, which contains the following components (A) and (B): (A) Ergothioneine or its salt A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from component (A) and the odor derived from component (B) in an oral composition of salt and (B) cereal oil, The cereal oil contains ingredient (B’): γ-oryzanol, This method is to adjust the weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) to 0.3 to 0.3. 10. A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from ergothioneine or its salt and suppressing the odor derived from γ-oryzanol, which contains the following components (A) and (B'): (A) Ergothioneine A method for suppressing the bitter taste derived from component (A) and the odor derived from component (B') in an oral composition of its salt and (B') γ-oryzanol, This method is to adjust the weight ratio ((B')/(A)) of component (B') (converted to cycloartenol ferulate) to component (A) (converted to ergothioneine) to 0.3 to 0.3. 10.