WO2022080444A1 - Composition, coated food product, coated food product manufacturing method, coating formation method, and food product shipping method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides: a composition that includes a sugar-based surfactant and a water-based solvent; a coated food product having a coating that includes a sugar-based surfactant; a coated food product manufacturing method in which said composition is applied to a food product; and a coating formation method. Additionally, the present invention provides a food product shipping method that includes (A) a step for conveying the food product, (B) a step for forming a coating on the food product, and (C) a step for inspecting the coated food product by using an evaluation device, wherein the aforementioned coating formation method is used to form the coating in the (B) step.　The present invention enables the provision of a composition, a coated food product, a coated food product manufacturing method, a coating formation method, and a food product shipping method that make it possible to preserve the freshness of a food product without using a plastic wrapping film.

Description

Composition, coated food, manufacturing method of coated food, film forming method and food shipping method

The present invention relates to a composition, a coated food, a method for producing a coated food, a film forming method, and a method for shipping the food. This application applies to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-173408 filed in Japan on October 14, 2020, Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-045131 filed in Japan on March 18, 2021, and in Japan on August 31, 2021. Claim priority based on the filing of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-141435, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

In recent years, packaging materials that can maintain the freshness of food during distribution or storage, such as MA (Modified Atmosphere) packaging, have been attracting attention. From the viewpoint of reducing the environmental load, the packaging materials used tend to be made of a single material so that they can be easily recycled or disposed of after use, so-called monomaterials.
Further, a technique has been proposed in which a quality preservative is directly applied to foods such as fruits and vegetables to maintain the freshness of the foods without using a packaging material (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Further, for the purpose of preventing pericarp damage of fruits and vegetables, an agent for preventing pericarp damage of fruits and vegetables containing a surfactant having an HLB of 5 or less as an active ingredient has been proposed (see Patent Document 3).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-134115 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-530502 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-55664

However, the methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a short freshness retention period, and the material used is a composition that is not friendly to the human body, so that it is not always sufficient to exhibit freshness retention performance. rice field.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to propose a composition capable of maintaining the freshness of a food, a coated food, a method for producing the coated food, a film forming method, and a method for shipping the food.

Further, in the liquid preparation disclosed in Patent Document 3, the liquid preparation is insufficient in liquid stability, and gelation may occur when the liquid preparation is prepared or over time.
Therefore, it is also an object of the present invention to improve the liquid stability of the composition.

Further, in the liquid agent disclosed in Patent Document 3, when it is applied to foods such as fruits and vegetables, it takes a long time to dry, and the productivity may be deteriorated. In addition, traces of application may be seen, or the surface of the applied food may be whitened, and the appearance of the coating film may be poor.
Therefore, it is also an object of the present invention to obtain a composition having a high drying speed and a good appearance after application when applied to the surface of food.

The present inventors considered that transpiration from food during distribution or storage was one of the factors for reducing the freshness, and examined various coating films having a high water vapor barrier property. Then, they have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by applying a coating film containing a specific surfactant to foods.
Further, it has been found that a composition containing a specific surfactant and an aqueous solvent has good liquid stability or is unlikely to cause coating marks on foods, and can solve the above-mentioned problems.

That is, the present invention has the following aspects.
[1] A composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester, and the number of fatty acid ester groups is 3 in 100% by mass of the sugar-based fatty acid ester. A composition containing 50 to 98% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters having 5 or less fatty acid esters and 2 to 50% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups.
[2] A composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the surface tension at 25 ° C. is 34 mN / m or less.
[3] A food with a coating having a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant, wherein the coating covers only a part of the food.
[4] Production of a coated food product including a step of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a part of a food product, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a part of a food product without a solvent. Method.
[5] A step of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a food, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a food without a solvent, and the applied composition or sugar-based surfactant. A step of removing a portion of the agent and a method of producing a coated food containing.
[6] The composition according to the above [2], wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester.
[7] The composition according to the above [1], wherein 50% by mass or more of the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester are saturated fatty acids.
[8] The composition according to the above [1] or [6], wherein the mass ratio of the saturated fatty acid and the unsaturated fatty acid among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester is 50/50 to 99/1.
[9] Any one of the above [1], [2] and [6] to [8], wherein the content of the sugar-based surfactant among the non-volatile components in the composition is 60% by mass or more. The composition according to one.
[10] The composition according to any one of the above [1], [2] and [6] to [9], wherein the aqueous solvent is water or a mixture of water and alcohol.
[11] The composition according to any one of the above [1], [2] and [6] to [10], which is used for coating fruits and vegetables.
[12] The coated food according to the above [3], wherein the sugar-based surfactant is a sucrose fatty acid ester.
[13] The coated food according to the above [12], wherein the lipophilic group of the sugar-based surfactant is a saturated fatty acid.
[14] The above-mentioned [12] or [13], wherein the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups is contained in an amount of 50% by mass or more when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is 100% by mass. Ester with a film.
[15] The coated food according to any one of the above [12] to [14], wherein the sugar-based surfactant has an HLB of 5 or more.
[16] The food with a film according to any one of the above [12] to [15], wherein the average film thickness of the film is 0.1 μm or more and 10 μm or less.
[17] The food with a coating according to any one of the above [12] to [16], wherein the crystal melting peak temperature of the coating is 40 ° C. or higher and 80 ° C. or lower.
[18] The food with a coating according to any one of the above [12] to [17], wherein the food is a fruit or vegetable.
[19] The method for producing a coated food product according to the above [4] or [5], wherein the coating method is a dipping method or a spraying method.
[20] A film forming method comprising a step of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a part of a food, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a part of a food without a solvent.
[21] The film forming method according to the above [20], wherein the coating method is a dipping method or an injection method.
[22] The composition or the sugar-based surfactant comprises a step of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a food, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a food without a solvent. A film-forming method for removing a part of the applied composition or sugar-based surfactant after application to food.
[23] A food shipping method including (A) a step of transporting food, (B) a step of forming a film on the food, and (C) a step of inspecting the coated food using an evaluation device. A method for shipping a food product, wherein a film is formed by the method according to any one of the above [20] to [22] in the step (B).
[24] The method for shipping a food product according to the above [23], wherein the inspection step (C) includes at least one inspection selected from the group consisting of a visual inspection, a sugar content inspection, and a size inspection.

The composition according to one aspect of the present invention has good liquid stability, and by attaching it to food, sufficient freshness retention performance can be ensured.
Further, when the composition according to another aspect of the present invention is applied to foods such as fruits and vegetables, the drying speed is high and the appearance after application is also good.
The coated food of the present invention can suppress transpiration from the food by having a film having a high water vapor barrier property, so that the freshness can be maintained for a long period of time. Since the film also has an oxygen barrier property, aging due to respiration can be suppressed, especially in fruits and vegetables.
Further, in the present invention, since the film having the freshness-retaining performance is directly provided on the food, the plastic packaging material is not required as in the conventional case, the film-less film can be achieved, and the contribution to the reduction of the environmental load is great.

It is an image diagram of the shipping method of the fruit and vegetable of this invention.

<Composition (1)>
The composition according to the first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as "composition (1)") contains a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent. Since the film obtained from the composition (1) has excellent water vapor barrier properties, it is suitable for coating foods. Further, since the film also has an oxygen barrier property, it is particularly suitable for coating fruits and vegetables. The film obtained from the composition (1) may have the aqueous solvent removed as described later.
Hereinafter, the composition (1) will be described in detail.

[Sugar-based surfactant]
The sugar-based surfactant is a nonionic surfactant having a sugar as a hydrophilic group.
The sugar-based surfactant of the composition (1) is preferably crystalline from the viewpoint of suppressing the stickiness of the obtained film and enhancing the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property.

The sugar-based surfactant of the composition (1) preferably contains 60% by mass or more, and 70% by mass or more, a component that becomes a solid at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) from the viewpoint of suppressing the stickiness of the obtained film. It is more preferably contained, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and further preferably 90% by mass or more. The sugar-based surfactant may be composed of only components that become solid at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), and therefore, the above ratio may be 100% by mass or less.

Examples of the sugar-based surfactant include a sugar fatty acid ester formed by an ester bond between a sugar and a fatty acid, an alkyl glycoside formed by a glycosidic bond formed by a sugar and a higher alcohol, and the like, and a sugar fatty acid ester is particularly preferable.
The lipophilic group of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (1) is preferably a saturated fatty acid. Therefore, in the sugar fatty acid ester, it is preferable that the constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester contain saturated fatty acids as described later. The details of the saturated fatty acid will be described later.

(Sugar fatty acid ester)
The sugar fatty acid ester of the composition (1) is not particularly limited as long as it can be used for foods, and examples thereof include sucrose fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, glucose ester and the like, and sucrose fatty acid ester is preferable.
The sugar-based surfactant does not have to be only one kind, and two or more kinds may be used in combination. When two or more kinds are combined, it is preferable that 60% by mass or more is sucrose fatty acid ester when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is 100% by mass. This ratio is more preferably 70% by mass or more, further preferably 80% by mass or more, still more preferably 90% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing the stickiness of the obtained film and increasing the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property. preferable. The sugar-based surfactant may be used alone as the sucrose fatty acid ester, and therefore, the above ratio may be 100% by mass or less.

The constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester are preferably edible fats and oils.
The number of carbon atoms of the constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester is not particularly limited, but is preferably 12 or more and 22 or less, more preferably 12 or more and 18 or less, and further preferably 14 or more and 18 or less. When the number of carbon atoms is in the above range, the stickiness of the obtained film can be suppressed.
The constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester in the composition (1) may be saturated or unsaturated fatty acids, but they tend to become solid at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) and the resulting film can be suppressed from stickiness. Is preferable.
More specifically, lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecic acid, palmitic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and the like can be mentioned, and among them, lauric acid, which is a saturated fatty acid having 12 or more and 18 or less carbon atoms. , Myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid are preferable, and myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, which are saturated fatty acids having 14 or more and 18 or less carbon atoms, are more preferable. These saturated fatty acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester do not have to be all the same, and 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids in the sugar fatty acid ester may be the above-mentioned suitable constituent fatty acids. This ratio is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, still more preferably 90% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing the stickiness of the obtained film. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be 100% by mass or less.
The constituent fatty acid composition of the sugar fatty acid ester can be measured by gas chromatography after isolating the sugar fatty acid ester from the composition and then derivatizing it.

The range of the number of fatty acid ester groups of a sugar fatty acid ester varies depending on the number of hydroxyl groups that can be ester-bonded in the molecular structure of the sugar that is a hydrophilic group. 2 to 4 pieces.
In the composition (1), from the viewpoint that a film can be formed by using an aqueous solvent, a sugar fatty acid ester (mono) having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is 100% by mass. Ester, diester or triester) is preferably contained in an amount of 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, still more preferably 70% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be 100% by mass or less.
From the same viewpoint, 30 sugar fatty acid esters (hexaester, heptaester, octaester or more) having 6 or more fatty acid ester groups when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is 100% by mass. It is preferably contained in an amount of% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or less. The sugar fatty acid ester having 6 or more fatty acid ester groups does not have to be contained, and the content thereof may be 0% by mass or more.

The content ratio for each number of fatty acid ester groups is as follows: Residue Monograph prepared by the meeting of the Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 84th meeting 2017 "Sucrose Esters" after isolating the sugar fatty acid ester from the composition. Of Fatty Acids ”and Prepared at the 71st JECFA (2009) and published in FAO JECFA Monographs 7 (2009)“ Sucrose Oligoesters Type I ”and“ Sucrose Oligoesters Type I ”and“ Sucrose Oligoesters Type II ”can be measured according to FA, METH ..

<< Measurement of monoester-triester and tetraester or higher >>
After dissolving the sample in a certain amount of tetrahydrofuran (stabilizer-containing GPC or industrial grade), high performance liquid chromatography was performed under the following conditions using a solution from which insoluble matters had been removed with a 0.5 μm membrane filter as the measurement sample. do. For the composition ratio, the peak area of each of the monoester to the triester and the peak area of the tetraester and above are individually calculated, and the ratio of all the peaks detected by 43 minutes to the total peak area is calculated.
The peak area corresponds to the area from the start point (rising position) to the ending point (falling position) of each peak.
If two or more peaks are adjacent to each other and the start point and end point are unknown, the area is calculated with the point where the data between the peaks is the smallest as the start point and the end point.

<Measurement conditions: monoester-triester and tetraester or higher>
Device: HLC-8320GPC Detector: Differential refractometer (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)
Column: TSK-Gel G1000HXL, G2000HXL, G3000HXL, G4000HXL (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)
Column temperature: 40 ° C
Detector temperature: 40 ° C
Eluent: Tetrahydrofuran (stabilizer-containing GPC or industrial grade)
Flow velocity: 0.8 ml / min
Injection amount: 80 μl
Measurement time: 50 minutes (Area ratio is calculated based on all peaks detected by 43 minutes)

<< Measurement of tetraester-octaester >>
After dissolving the sample in a certain amount of methanol (special grade reagent) / tetrahydrofuran (stabilizer-free HPLC grade) = 20/80 (vоl / vоl), measure the solution from which the insoluble material was removed with a 0.45 μm membrane filter. Using the sample, perform high performance liquid chromatography under the following conditions. For the composition ratio of tetraester to octaester, the peak area of each of tetraester to octaester is calculated individually, and the ratio to the total peak area of tetraester to octaester is calculated. The area ratio above the tetraester obtained in the above measurement >> is calculated by dividing the area ratio from the tetraester to the octaester.
The peak area corresponds to the area from the start point (rising position) to the ending point (falling position) of each peak.
If two or more peaks are adjacent to each other and the start point and end point are unknown, the area is calculated with the point where the data between the peaks is the smallest as the start point and the end point.

<Measurement conditions: Tetra ester-Octa ester>
Equipment Degasser: DGU-20A (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)
Pump: LC-20AD (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)
Oven: CTO-20A (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)
Detector: RID-20A differential refractometer (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)
Column: 150 mm x 4.6 mm i. d. ODS-2 (manufactured by GL Science)
Column temperature: 40 ° C
Detector temperature: 40 ° C
Eluent: Methanol (special grade reagent) / tetrahydrofuran (polymer-free HPLC grade) = 70/30 to 50/50 (vоl / vоl)
Flow velocity: 0.8 ml / min
Injection amount: 20 μl
Measurement time: 16 minutes

[Water-based solvent]
Examples of the aqueous solvent contained in the composition (1) include water; alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol and glycerin. From the viewpoint of being able to be applied to foods, it is preferable to prepare an aqueous composition using water as a solvent, but from the viewpoint of stability and coatability, it contains a small amount of the above-mentioned organic solvent such as alcohol in addition to water as a solvent. May be good.
The content of the organic solvent in the composition (1) is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, further preferably 10% by mass or less, still more preferably 5% by mass or less.

[PH regulator]
The composition (1) of the present invention may contain a pH adjuster.
As the pH adjuster, for example, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, ammonia and the like can be used.

[Physical characteristics of composition (1)]
(Non-volatile component concentration)
The concentration of the non-volatile component in the composition (1) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, and 0.3% by mass or more and 40. It is more preferably 5% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. By setting the concentration of the non-volatile component to 0.1% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, it becomes easy to form a film having a suitable film thickness while appropriately dissolving the sugar-based surfactant in the aqueous solvent.
The "non-volatile component concentration" in the present invention is the concentration of the non-volatile component excluding the solvent contained in the composition.

(Contents of sugar-based surfactant)
The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (1) is 100% by mass of the non-volatile components in the composition (1) from the viewpoint of enhancing the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property of the obtained coating film. The upper limit is preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, further preferably 80% by mass or more, still more preferably 90% by mass or more.
Since the coating film in the present invention is obtained by volatilizing a solvent from the composition, the suitable content of the sugar-based surfactant in the coating film is the same as described above.

(PH of composition (1))
The pH of the composition (1) is preferably 4 or more and 10 or less, and more preferably 4 or more and 8 or less, from the viewpoint of safe application to foods.

(HLB of sugar-based surfactant)
The HLB of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (1) is not particularly limited, but 5 or more is preferable, 7 or more is more preferable, and 9 or more is further preferable, from the viewpoint that a film can be formed by using an aqueous solvent. The upper limit of HLB is usually 20, and more preferably 18 or less.

<Composition (2)>
The composition according to the second embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as "composition (2)") contains a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, and is the main component of the sugar-based surfactant. Is a sugar fatty acid ester, which contains 50 to 98% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups (hereinafter, may be referred to as "low fatty acid ester") in 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, and is a fatty acid. It contains 2 to 50% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more ester groups (hereinafter, may be referred to as "high fatty acid ester").
The composition (2) has good liquid stability because the sugar-based surfactant has the above-mentioned characteristics. Since the film obtained from the composition (2) has excellent water vapor barrier properties, it is suitable for coating foods. Further, since the film also has an oxygen barrier property, it is particularly suitable for coating fruits and vegetables. It is preferable that the aqueous solvent is removed from the film obtained from the composition (2) as described later.

In the composition (2), 50% by mass or more of the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester may be saturated fatty acids.
In the composition (2), the mass ratio of the saturated fatty acid and the unsaturated fatty acid among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester may be 50/50 to 99/1.
The concentration of the non-volatile component in the composition (2) may be 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.
Among the non-volatile components in the composition (2), the content of the sugar-based surfactant may be 60% by mass or more.
In the composition (2), the water-based solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.
The composition (2) may be used for coating fruits and vegetables.
Hereinafter, the composition (2) will be described in detail.

[Sugar-based surfactant]
In the composition (2), the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester. Here, the main component means that the sugar fatty acid ester is the most abundant component among the sugar-based surfactants, and the content thereof is, for example, 50% by mass or more, preferably 60% by mass or more. , 70% by mass or more is more preferable, 80% by mass or more is further preferable, and 90% by mass or more is further preferable. The sugar-based surfactant may be used alone as the sugar fatty acid ester, and therefore may be 100% by mass or less.
By using the sugar fatty acid ester as the main component of the sugar-based surfactant, the stickiness of the obtained film can be suppressed and the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property can be enhanced. Further, for the same reason, as described above, the sugar-based surfactant is preferably one having crystallinity. Since the sugar fatty acid ester can have a crystal structure, the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property of the obtained film can be enhanced.

(Sugar fatty acid ester)
The sugar in the sugar fatty acid ester of the composition (2) may be any of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, polysaccharides, sugar alcohols and other oligosaccharides.
Examples of monosaccharides include pentoses such as ribulose, xylulose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, lixose, and deoxyribose; Hexose such as fuculose and ram north can be mentioned.
Examples of the disaccharide include sucrose, lactose, maltose, trehalose, turanose, cellobiose and the like.
Examples of the trisaccharide include raffinose, melezitose, maltotriose and the like.
Examples of the tetrasaccharide include acarbose and stachyose.
Examples of the polysaccharide include glycogen, starch, cellulose, dextrin, glucan, fructan, chitin and the like.
Examples of the sugar alcohol include sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, mannitol, glycerin and the like, and a condensate of these sugar alcohols may be used.
Examples of other oligosaccharides include fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, mannan oligosaccharides, lactosucrose and the like.
Among the above, from the viewpoint of availability, a sugar fatty acid ester containing a disaccharide is preferable, and a sugar fatty acid ester containing sucrose, that is, a sucrose fatty acid ester is more preferable.
The sugar fatty acid ester does not have to be only one kind, and two or more kinds may be used in combination. The content of the sucrose fatty acid ester when two or more kinds are combined is the same as that of the composition (1).

The composition (2) contains 50 to 98% by mass of a low fatty acid ester and 2 to 50% by mass of a high fatty acid ester in 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester.
In the composition containing only the low fatty acid ester, the low fatty acid ester forms a higher-order structure and tends to aggregate at the time of preparation of the composition, and a precipitate or a suspended substance is likely to be formed. On the other hand, when the content of the high fatty acid ester is higher than the upper limit, the storage stability of the composition tends to deteriorate.
In the composition (2), since the number of fatty acid ester groups is in the above range, the sugar fatty acid ester is prevented from forming a higher-order structure and agglomerating, so that no precipitate or suspended matter is generated during the preparation of the composition. , The liquid stability of the composition is increased. In addition, no precipitate or suspended matter is generated over time, and the storage stability of the composition is improved.

From the above viewpoint, the content of the low fatty acid ester is preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more. Further, 95% by mass or less is preferable, 90% by mass or less is more preferable, 85% by mass or less is further preferable, and 80% by mass or less is further preferable.
On the other hand, the content of the high fatty acid ester is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more. Further, 40% by mass or less is preferable, 30% by mass or less is more preferable, and 20% by mass or less is further preferable.

In addition to the low fatty acid ester and the high fatty acid ester, the composition (2) may contain a sugar fatty acid ester (tetraester) having four fatty acid ester groups.
The content of the tetraester may be 0% by mass or more, preferably 5% by mass or more, and more preferably 10% by mass or more. Further, 48% by mass or less is preferable, 40% by mass or less is more preferable, and 35% by mass or less is further preferable.

The constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester are preferably edible fats and oils. The number of carbon atoms of the constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester is the same as that of the composition (1).

The constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester in the composition (2) may be saturated or unsaturated fatty acids, but they tend to become solid at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) and the resulting film can be suppressed from stickiness. Is preferable. Since the sugar fatty acid ester (a) having a saturated fatty acid tends to have a regular structure in the film, the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property of the obtained film can be enhanced.
Among the constituent fatty acids, the content of saturated fatty acid is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, further preferably 70% by mass or more, further preferably 80% by mass or more, still more preferably 90% by mass or more. .. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be 100% by mass or less.
More specific examples of the saturated fatty acid include lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecylic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, behenic acid and the like, and among them, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid are preferable. Myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid are more preferred. These saturated fatty acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Further, the above-mentioned sugar fatty acid ester (a) and the sugar fatty acid ester (b) having an unsaturated fatty acid may be used in combination. When the sugar fatty acid ester (a) and the sugar fatty acid ester (b) are used in combination, the liquid stability and the storage stability of the composition are further enhanced. Further, when the sugar fatty acid ester (a) and the sugar fatty acid ester (b) are used in combination, the appearance when applied to food is improved.
When the sugar fatty acid ester (a) and the sugar fatty acid ester (b) are used in combination, it is preferable to adjust the mass ratio between the saturated fatty acid and the unsaturated fatty acid to be 50/50 to 99/1. The mass ratio is more preferably 50/50 to 90/10, further preferably 50/50 to 80/20, and even more preferably 55/45 to 70/30.
More specifically, the unsaturated fatty acid includes palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and the like, and oleic acid and erucic acid are preferable. These unsaturated fatty acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[Water-based solvent]
The water-based solvent contained in the composition (2) contains at least water.
From the viewpoint of liquid stability and coatability, water and a mixture of water-compatible organic solvents are preferable, and alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerin are more preferable as the organic solvent.
The content of water in the composition (2) is preferably 70% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less, and further preferably 90% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less.
On the other hand, the content of the organic solvent in the composition (2) is preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, and further preferably 3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less.

[Other ingredients]
The composition (2) may contain a surfactant other than the above-mentioned sugar-based surfactant, a pH adjuster, or the like.
Examples of the surfactant other than the above-mentioned sugar-based surfactant include organic acid monoglyceride, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, polysorbate, lecithin and the like. The content of these surfactants is preferably 0% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and 5% by mass, of the non-volatile components in the composition (2). More preferably, it is 20% by mass or less.
As the pH adjuster, for example, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, ammonia and the like can be used. From the viewpoint of safety, the content of the pH adjuster is preferably such that the pH of the composition (2) is 4 or more and 10 or less, preferably 4 or more and 8 or less.

[Physical characteristics of composition (2)]
(Non-volatile component concentration)
The concentration of the non-volatile component in the composition (2) is preferably 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and further preferably 3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. When the concentration of the non-volatile component is in the above range, it becomes easy to form a film having a suitable film thickness, so that transpiration from food can be effectively suppressed.
When the content of the low fatty acid ester and the high fatty acid ester is outside the range of the composition (2), if the concentration of the non-volatile component is low (for example, about 0.5% by mass), there is a problem in liquid stability and storage stability. Is unlikely to occur, but liquid stability and storage stability tend to deteriorate as the concentration increases to 1% by mass or more.

The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (2), the pH of the composition and the HLB of the sugar-based surfactant are the same as those in the composition (1).

<Composition (3)>
The composition according to the third embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as “composition (3)”) contains a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, and has a surface tension of 34 mN / at 25 ° C. It is less than m.
Since the composition (3) has the above-mentioned characteristics, when the coating liquid is applied to the surface of the food, the drying speed is high and the appearance after application is also good. Since the film obtained from the composition (3) has excellent water vapor barrier properties, it is suitable for coating foods. Further, since the film also has an oxygen barrier property, it is particularly suitable for coating fruits and vegetables. It is preferable that the aqueous solvent is removed from the film obtained from the composition (3) as described later.

In the composition (3), the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is preferably a sugar fatty acid ester.
In the composition (3), the mass ratio of the saturated fatty acid and the unsaturated fatty acid among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester may be 50/50 to 99/1.
The composition (3) may contain 50 to 98% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups in 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester.
The composition (3) may contain 2 to 50% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups in 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester.
The concentration of the non-volatile component in the composition (3) may be 0.1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.
Among the non-volatile components in the composition (3), the content of the sugar-based surfactant may be 60% by mass or more.
In the composition (3), the water-based solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.
The composition (3) may have an alcohol content of 1% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.
The composition (3) may be used for coating fruits and vegetables.
Hereinafter, the composition (3) will be described in detail.

(surface tension)
When the surface tension of the composition (3) at 25 ° C. is 34 mN / m or less, the liquid drains well after the composition is applied to the food, so that the drying speed becomes high. Further, by improving the liquid drainage, it is possible to prevent the coating liquid from remaining excessively on foods such as fruits and vegetables, so that coating marks and whitening of the coating film are less likely to occur. From the above viewpoint, the surface tension at 25 ° C. is more preferably 32 mN / m or less, and further preferably 30 mN / m or less.
The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 10 mN / m or more, preferably 15 mN / m or more, and more preferably 20 mN / m or more.
The surface tension can be measured by the method described in Examples.

(Defoaming time)
The defoaming time of the composition (3) at 25 ° C. is preferably 60 minutes or less, more preferably 40 minutes or less, further preferably 20 minutes or less, and preferably 10 minutes or less. Even more preferable. When the defoaming time is within the above range, it is possible to prevent the traces of bubbles from remaining until after drying when bubbles are generated due to liquid transfer or the like in the coating step. The shorter the defoaming time is, the more preferable it is. Therefore, it may be 0 minutes or more.
The defoaming time can be measured by the method described in Examples.

[Sugar-based surfactant]
From the same viewpoint as that of the composition (2), the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (3) is preferably mainly composed of a sugar fatty acid ester.
The structure of sugar and fatty acid in the sugar fatty acid ester is the same as that of the composition (2).

The composition (3) preferably contains 50 to 98% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester (low fatty acid ester) having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups in 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester. This ratio is more preferably 60% by mass or more, still more preferably 70% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of improving the solubility in an aqueous solvent. Further, 95% by mass or less is more preferable, 90% by mass or less is further preferable, 85% by mass or less is further preferable, and 80% by mass or less is further preferable.

Further, the composition (3) preferably contains 2 to 50% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester (high fatty acid ester) having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups in 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester. This ratio is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of increasing the stability of the composition. Further, 40% by mass or less is preferable, 30% by mass or less is more preferable, and 20% by mass or less is further preferable.

In addition to the low fatty acid ester and the high fatty acid ester, the composition (3) may contain a sugar fatty acid ester (tetraester) having four fatty acid ester groups.
Of the 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, the content of the tetraester may be 0% by mass or more, preferably 5% by mass or more, and more preferably 10% by mass or more. Further, 48% by mass or less is preferable, 40% by mass or less is more preferable, and 35% by mass or less is further preferable.

The constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester in the composition (3) may be saturated or unsaturated fatty acids, but from the viewpoint of improving the liquid drainage of the composition, the drying speed and the appearance of the coating film, the saturated fatty acids and the fatty acids are used. More preferably, it contains both unsaturated fatty acids.
The sugar fatty acid ester (a) having a saturated fatty acid tends to become a solid at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), and the stickiness of the obtained film can be suppressed. Further, since the sugar fatty acid ester (a) tends to have a regular structure in the film, the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property of the obtained film can be enhanced.
On the other hand, the sugar fatty acid ester (b) having an unsaturated fatty acid tends to become liquid at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.). By containing the sugar fatty acid ester (b), the surface tension of the composition is lowered, so that the drying speed after coating is increased and the coating liquid traces are less likely to remain on the food.

The blending ratio of the sugar fatty acid ester (a) and the sugar fatty acid ester (b) is preferably adjusted to an amount such that the mass ratio of the saturated fatty acid and the unsaturated fatty acid is 50/50 to 99/1. The mass ratio is more preferably 50/50 to 90/10, further preferably 50/50 to 80/20, and even more preferably 55/45 to 70/30.

[Water-based solvent and other components]
The water-based solvent and other components in the composition (3) are the same as those in the composition (2).

[Physical characteristics of composition (3)]
(Non-volatile component concentration)
The concentration of the non-volatile component in the composition (3) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. The following is more preferable. When the concentration of the non-volatile component is in the above range, it becomes easy to form a film having a suitable film thickness, so that transpiration from food can be effectively suppressed. Further, since it is possible to prevent the coating liquid from being excessively applied, it is difficult for traces of the coating liquid to remain.

The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (3), the pH of the composition and the HLB of the sugar-based surfactant are the same as those in the compositions (1) and (2).

<Food with film>
The coated food of the present invention contains a sugar-based surfactant in the coating. Since the film has an excellent water vapor barrier property, transpiration from food can be suppressed and freshness can be maintained. In addition, since the film also has an oxygen barrier property, aging due to respiration can be suppressed, especially in fruits and vegetables.

The coating does not necessarily have to cover the entire food, and may cover only a part of the food as long as it can suppress transpiration and respiration from the food.
For example, if the food is fruits and vegetables, the coating may cover only a part of the fruits and vegetables. The area of the coating is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 25% or more, still more preferably 40% or more, still more preferably 50% or more with respect to the surface area of the whole fruit and vegetable.
Further, from the viewpoint of maintaining the freshness of fruits and vegetables, it is preferable that the coating film at least covers a portion where water evaporates a lot. Examples of the site where water evaporates abundantly include stomata, stems, fruit stalks, spikelets, gaku or roots, etc. on the back of leaves, or cut surfaces at the time of harvest.
Further, from the viewpoint of maintaining the freshness without significantly changing the appearance of fruits and vegetables, it is preferable to cover only the portion where the water evaporates a lot.

Further, as described above, the sugar-based surfactant is preferably crystalline from the viewpoint of suppressing the stickiness of the obtained film and enhancing the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property.
The presence or absence of crystallinity of the sugar-based surfactant in the coating film can be confirmed by the presence or absence of the crystal melting peak temperature measured for the coating film. Therefore, it is preferable that the crystal melting peak derived from the sugar-based surfactant is detected in the DSC described later.
The crystal melting peak temperature of the coating film is preferably 40 ° C. or higher and 80 ° C. or lower, and more preferably 45 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower. When the crystal melting peak temperature is 40 ° C. or higher, the stickiness of the obtained film can be suppressed. On the other hand, when the crystal melting peak temperature is 80 ° C. or lower, heating can be reduced when dissolved in an aqueous solvent, and productivity is improved.
The crystal melting peak temperature is the temperature at which the crystal melting peak is detected in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measured at a heating rate of 10 ° C./min.

[Food]
Examples of the food in the present invention include fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, and processed foods such as dairy products and bakery products.
Above all, since the coating film of the present invention has excellent water vapor barrier properties, it is preferably applied to fruits and vegetables or dairy products whose quality tends to deteriorate due to transpiration. Further, since the coating film also has an oxygen barrier property, it is more preferable to apply it to fruits and vegetables that undergo aging due to respiration.
Fruits and vegetables include, for example, citrus fruits such as apples, cherries, peaches, blue beech mushrooms, oranges, grapefruits, citrus fruits, and sardines, oysters, figs, strawberries, kiwifruits, grapes, blueberries, bananas, mangoes, melons, papayas, and reishi. (Lych), Anzu, Avocado, Cantarup, Guava, Nectarin, Pear (Japanese pear, Pear, etc.), Plum and other fruits; Kind; leafy stem vegetables such as asparagus, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, hakusai, cauliflower, broccoli; fruit vegetables such as tomato, eggplant, pumpkin, pepper, cucumber; wild plants such as warabi, zenmai; shiitake, eringi, beech mushroom, Fungi mushrooms such as Honshimaji, Enokidake, and Maitake; Cut flowers such as Kiku, rose, and lily can be mentioned.
Examples of dairy products include cheese and butter.

[Physical characteristics of the film]
(Average film thickness)
The average film thickness of the coating film of the present invention is preferably 0.1 μm or more and 10 μm or less, and more preferably 0.5 μm or more and 5 μm or less. When the average film thickness is 0.1 μm or more, the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property are good. On the other hand, when the average film thickness is 10 μm or less, a film can be formed while maintaining the texture of the food.
In the present invention, the thickness of the coating film does not have to be uniform throughout the food.
The average film thickness of the film is measured by first freeze-drying the food with the film, peeling the film, observing the cross section with an electron microscope or a metallurgical microscope, and randomly selecting 10 points or more to measure the thickness. It can be calculated from the average value.

(Water vapor barrier)
The coating film of the present invention preferably has a water vapor transmittance of 0.1 to 20 g / (m ² · day) per 1 μm at 30 ° C. and 50% RH, and is preferably 0.5 to 10 g / (m ² · day). Is more preferable, and 1 to 5 g / (m ² · day) is even more preferable.
In the case of the coating film composed of the compositions (2) and (3), the water vapor transmittance per 1 μm at 30 ° C. and 50% RH is preferably 0.1 to 30 g / (m ² · day). 0.5 to 20 g / (m ² · day) is more preferable, and 1 to 10 g / (m ² · day) is even more preferable.
When the water vapor permeability is within the above range, transpiration from food can be suppressed and freshness can be maintained.
The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) can be measured by a differential pressure method using a water vapor transmission rate measuring device DELTAPERM based on JIS K7129-5. More specifically, the measured value of the water vapor transmittance when coated on a polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 50 μm under the condition of 30 ° C. and 50% RH is converted into the transmittance per 1 μm by the following formula. be.

(Oxygen barrier property)
The coating film of the present invention preferably has an oxygen permeability of 0.1 to 100 cc / (m ² · day · atm) per 1 μm at 25 ° C. and 50% RH, and is preferably 0.5 to 90 cc / (m ² · atm). Day · atm) is more preferred, and 1 to 50 cc / (m ² · day · atm) is even more preferred.
In the case of the coating film composed of the compositions (2) and (3), the oxygen permeability per 1 μm at 25 ° C. and 50% RH is 0.1 to 1000 cc / ( ^m2 , day, atm). Preferably, 0.5 to 700 cc / (m ²・ day ・ atm) is more preferable, and 1 to 500 cc / (m ²・ day ・ atm) is further preferable.
When the oxygen permeability is within the above range, the aging of fruits and vegetables due to respiration can be suppressed, and the freshness can be further maintained.
The oxygen permeability (OTR) can be measured by an isobaric method using an oxygen permeability measuring device OX-TRAN 2/21 (manufactured by MOCON) based on JIS K7126-2. More specifically, the measured value of the oxygen permeability when coated on a polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 50 μm under the condition of 25 ° C. and 50% RH is converted into the transmittance per 1 μm by the following formula. be.

<Manufacturing method of coated food>
The coated food of the present invention is produced by a method of applying the above composition to a food or a method of applying the above sugar-based surfactant to a food without a solvent. After applying the above composition to food, drying may be performed.
For the application and drying of the composition and the solvent-free application of the sugar-based surfactant, the method described in "Film formation method" described later can be preferably used.

<Film formation method>
Examples of the film forming method of the present invention (hereinafter, also referred to as “the present method”) include a method of applying the above composition to a food, or a method of applying the above sugar-based surfactant to a food without a solvent.

[Application of composition]
When the composition is applied to a food, the application method is not particularly limited, and for example, a method of directly applying a coating liquid such as a brush coating or a curtain coat to a food; a dipping method such as an impregnation coating; a spray coating or the like. The injection method can be mentioned.
Of these, the dipping method or the jet method is preferable from the viewpoint of being able to relatively uniformly cover the surface of the food having a three-dimensional shape.
When the food is fruits and vegetables, a film may be formed on the surface of fruits and vegetables after harvesting, or a film may be formed on the surface of fruits and vegetables before harvesting, depending on the type of fruits and vegetables and the ease of application. May be good. If the film is formed before harvesting, it is desirable to form the film when the fruits and vegetables have reached the desired maturity.

In this method, from the viewpoint of shortening the drying time of the composition and increasing the efficiency of the film forming treatment, it is preferable to apply the composition to a part of the food.
For example, if the food is a fruit or vegetable, the composition may be applied to only a portion of the fruit or vegetable. In this case, the coating area is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 25% or more, still more preferably 40% or more, still more preferably 50% or more, based on the surface area of the whole fruit and vegetable.
Further, from the viewpoint of maintaining the freshness of fruits and vegetables, it is preferable to apply the composition at least to a portion where water evaporates a lot.
From the viewpoint of minimizing the amount of the sugar-based surfactant used, the composition may be applied only to the portion where the water evaporation is large.

In this method, after applying the composition to food, a part of the applied composition may be removed. The removal method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include removal by wind pressure using an air dryer.
For example, by removing the excess composition on the surface of the food, it is possible to prevent poor drying of the portion applied in an excessive amount.
Further, by removing the composition of a part of the food, the amount of the sugar-based surfactant used can be minimized.
When the food is a fruit or vegetable, the freshness can be maintained by at least covering a portion where water evaporates a lot, so that the composition of the other portion may be removed.
As for the coating method, there is an example described in "Coating Method" by Yuji Harasaki, Maki Shoten, published in 1979.

[Drying]
After the composition is applied to the food, the coating film may be dried for the purpose of removing the aqueous solvent. Examples of the drying method include static drying, air drying, and heat drying. From the viewpoint of maintaining the freshness of the food, the drying method is a method of allowing the food to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for drying, or air drying at room temperature. The method is preferred.

[Solvent-free application of sugar-based surfactant]
When applying a sugar-based surfactant to food without a solvent, the sugar-based surfactant is heated to a temperature indicating fluidity (for example, melting point to melting point + 30 ° C. of the sugar-based surfactant), and then a curtain coat or a curtain coat or A method of applying to food with a spray coat or the like is preferable. When applied without a solvent, a food containing only a sugar-based surfactant may be applied to the food, but the sugar-based surfactant is appropriately mixed with other components (nonvolatile components, etc.) other than the solvent. You may apply the solvent.

Similar to the above [coating of composition], it is preferable to apply the sugar-based surfactant to a part of the food from the viewpoint of increasing the efficiency of the film forming treatment. Further, after applying the sugar-based surfactant to the food, a part of the applied sugar-based surfactant may be removed.

<Food shipping method>
The food shipping method of the present invention includes (A) a step of transporting the food, (B) a step of forming a film on the food, and (C) a step of inspecting the coated food using an evaluation device. The step (B) is characterized in that a film is formed on food by the film forming method of the present invention. In this way, the food film formed and inspected is shipped to the place of consumption by transportation or the like.
The order of the steps (B) and (C) in the above shipping method may be reversed. That is, the order may be (A) step, (B) step, (C) step, or (A) step, (C) step, (B) step.
Hereinafter, the steps (A), (B), and (C) will be described in detail based on the image diagram shown in FIG. 1 by taking as an example.

FIG. 1 is an image diagram of the food shipping method of the present invention. The step of transporting the food (A) is a step of feeding the food to the step (B). The method is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be continuously conveyed by a belt conveyor or the like, or a large number of foods may be conveyed together by a truck or the like.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which food 10 is conveyed by using a belt conveyor 11. The food 10 is placed on a belt conveyor and is subjected to the step (B) by rotating the rotary roll 12.

The next step (B) is a step of forming a film on the food 10 conveyed in the step (A). For the formation of the coating film, the method described in the above-mentioned "coating film forming method" can be preferably used.
FIG. 1 illustrates a dipping method, which is one of the preferred embodiments. The food 10 is immersed in a dipping tank 13 filled with the composition of the present invention, and the composition is applied to the surface of the food. The belt conveyor is provided with food fixing means such as claws, and the food 10 is carried in and out of the immersion tank in a fixed state. After that, the solvent is removed in the drying oven 14, and a film is formed on the food 10. However, the drying oven 14 may be omitted, and the food 10 may be allowed to stand at room temperature for drying, or drying may be omitted for solvent-free coating.

When a film is formed only on a part of the food in the step (B), it is preferable that the composition is applied or sprayed on the food 10 placed on the belt conveyor and transported to the drying oven 14.
Further, after only a part of the food 10 is immersed in the immersion tank 13 by a food gripping means such as a robot hand, the food may be placed on a belt conveyor with the immersion surface facing up and conveyed to the drying furnace 14.

After the food 10 is immersed in the immersion tank 13, a part of the applied composition may be removed by an air dryer (not shown) or the like.

Next, the step (C) is a step of inspecting the food 10 having the film formed in the step (B) using the evaluation device 15. As the evaluation device, an optical sensor, a weighing scale, a camera, or the like can be used.
(C) Examples of the inspection in the inspection step include various inspection items, and it is preferable to include at least one inspection selected from the group consisting of a visual inspection, a sugar content inspection, and a size inspection.
In the present invention, since the film has high transparency, it does not interfere with non-destructive inspection using light such as sugar content inspection. Therefore, the inspection method used for conventional foods ( For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-78206) can be used as it is.

As described above, the coated food that has undergone the (A) transport step, (B) film forming step, and (C) inspection step is shipped by ordinary means. FIG. 1 shows an example of shipping by the shipping vehicle 16.

Next, the present invention will be described in more detail by way of examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples described below.

<Test Examples 1-5: Japanese pear (Kosui)>
In Test Examples 1 to 5, a film was formed on the surface of Japanese pear (Kosui) to evaluate the freshness retention.

The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 1 to prepare the compositions of Test Examples 1 to 4.
The compositions of Test Examples 1 to 4 were applied to the surface of Japanese pear by a dipping method and dried at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 30 minutes to form a film. In addition, Japanese pear that does not form a film was designated as Test Example 5.
L-1695: Sucrose lauric acid ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester L-1695" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB: Approx. 16, Mono-triester content: 96% by mass or more P-1570: Sucrose palmitic acid Ester, Mitsubishi Chemical's "Ryoto (Registered Trademark) Sugar Ester P-1570", HLB: Approximately 15, Mono-Triester Content: 96% by mass or more S-570: Sucrose stearic acid ester, Mitsubishi Chemical's "Ryoto" (Registered Trademark) Sugar Ester S-570 ”, HLB: Approximately 5, Mono-Triester Content: 86% by mass or more S-1670: Sucrose stearic acid ester, Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd.“ Ryoto® Sugar Ester S- 1670 ”, HLB: about 16, mono-triester content: 97% by mass or more

[Freshness preservation evaluation]
The film-coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pears of Test Example 5 were evaluated for freshness by weight retention rate, hardness maintenance rate, color and taste.
Japanese pear is already sweet enough in an immature state and is in a state suitable for eating. The color of Japanese pear changes from green to brown as it ages, and if it matures too much, the original crispy texture of Japanese pear is lost and the commercial value decreases.
For the above reasons, for Japanese pears, in addition to the weight retention rate for confirming transpiration suppression, the freshness retention effect was confirmed by the hardness maintenance rate, color and taste.

(Weight maintenance rate)
Weight maintenance of the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pears of Test Example 5 after storage at 20 ° C. and 90% RH for 10 days and 14 days based on the weight of the Japanese pears before storage (0 days). The rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 days) × 100 (%)) was calculated.

(Hardness maintenance rate)
The hardness of the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pears of Test Example 5 at the time of fracture was measured using a fruit hardness meter KM-5 (manufactured by Fujiwara Seisakusho Co., Ltd.). The tip of the fruit hardness tester was a cylindrical one. Hardness maintenance rate after 14 days storage at 20 ° C. and 90% RH based on the hardness of Japanese pear before storage (0 days) ((Hardness after 14 days storage / 0 day hardness) x 100 (%)) Asked.

(colour)
The ground color of the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pears of Test Example 5 was evaluated using a fruit color chart supervised by the Fruit Tree Experiment Station of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The evaluation was performed twice, before storage (0 days) and after storage at 20 ° C. and 90% RH for 10 days. In addition, the evaluation by this fruit color chart shows that the ripening progresses as the numerical value becomes larger.

(Taste)
The filmed Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pears of Test Example 5 were subjected to a taste test by four subjects and evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation was performed twice, before storage (0 days) and after storage at 20 ° C. and 90% RH for 14 days. As mentioned above, since the texture of Japanese pear also affects the commercial value, the evaluation of B or higher was passed and C was rejected. Table 1 shows the evaluation with the largest number of subjects among the evaluations of the four subjects. If the evaluations were divided between two people, the lower evaluation was listed in the table.
A: The texture is the same as that of the blank (state of Test Example 5 on day 0) Japanese pear.
B: Compared to the blank, the original crispy texture of Japanese pear is less.
C: There is no crispy texture at all.

Table 1 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 1 to 5.

From Table 1, the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 were superior to the Japanese pears of Test Example 5 in all of the weight retention rate, hardness retention rate, color and taste. It was confirmed that the freshness-maintaining effect can be obtained by providing the coating film containing.

<Test Examples 6-10: Avocado>
In Test Examples 6 to 10, a film was formed on the surface of the avocado and the freshness was evaluated.

The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 2 to prepare the compositions of Test Examples 6-9.
The compositions of Test Examples 6 to 9 were applied to the surface of the avocado by a dipping method and dried at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 30 minutes to form a film. In addition, avocado that does not form a film was designated as Test Example 10.
S-570: The product name and composition are as described above.
S-970: sucrose stearic acid ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester S-970" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB: about 9, mono-triester content: 92% by mass or more S-1170: sucrose stearic acid Ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB: about 11, mono-triester content: 94% by mass or more S-1670: Product name and composition are as described above.

[Freshness preservation evaluation]
The filmed avocados of Test Examples 6 to 9 and the avocados of Test Example 10 were evaluated for freshness by weight retention rate, hardness and color.
Avocados soften as they age, changing color from green to black-purple. Since these changes are easy to understand for avocados and it is common for consumers to evaluate the freshness of avocados by hardness and color, for avocados, in addition to the weight retention rate for confirming transpiration suppression. The effect of maintaining freshness was confirmed by the hardness and color.

(Weight maintenance rate)
For the coated avocados of Test Examples 6 to 9 and the avocados of Test Example 10, based on the weight of the avocado before storage (0 days), at 25 ° C. and 50% RH, 3 days, 8 days, 11 days and 16 days. The weight retention rate after storage ((weight after storage / weight on 0 days) × 100 (%)) was determined.

(Hardness)
Four avocados with a coating of Test Examples 6 to 9 and four avocados of Test Example 10 were prepared, and the hardness when the surface was lightly pressed with a finger was evaluated.
◯ (good): Hardness equivalent to or slightly softer than that of a blank (state on day 0 of Test Example 10), and deformation is small even when the surface is pressed.
× (bad): It is considerably softer than the blank and is greatly deformed when the surface is pressed.
The above evaluation was performed 6 times before storage (0 days) and after storage at 25 ° C. and 50% RH for 3 days, 8 days, 11 days, 16 days, and 21 days, and the change in hardness was evaluated according to the following criteria. bottom.
A: More than 75% of the samples can be evaluated as ○ (good).
B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 50% and 75% or less.
C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 25% and 50% or less.
D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 0% and 25% or less.
E: There is no sample that can be evaluated as ○ (good) (0%).

(colour)
Four coated avocados from Test Examples 6 to 9 and four avocados from Test Example 10 were prepared, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation was performed 5 times before storage (0 days) and after storage at 25 ° C. and 50% RH for 3 days, 8 days, 11 days, and 16 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: There is no sample (0%) whose surface is completely black-purple, or less than 25%.
B: 25% or more and less than 50% of the samples have a completely black-purple surface.
C: More than 50% and less than 75% of the samples have a completely black-purple surface.
D: The number of samples whose surface is completely black-purple is 75% or more and less than 100%.
E: The surface of all samples is completely black-purple (100%).

Table 2 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 6 to 10.

From Table 2, since the coated avocados of Test Examples 6 to 9 were superior to the avocados of Test Example 10 in all of the weight retention rate, hardness and color change, a sugar-based surfactant was applied to the surface of the avocado. It was confirmed that the freshness-maintaining effect can be obtained by providing the including film.

<Test Examples 11-16: Oysters>
In Test Examples 11 to 16, a film was formed on the surface of the oyster and the freshness was evaluated.

The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 3 to prepare the compositions of Test Examples 11 to 15.
The compositions of Test Examples 11 to 15 were applied to the surface of oysters by a dipping method and dried at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 30 minutes to form a film. Further, the oyster that does not form a film was designated as Test Example 16.
S-570: The product name and composition are as described above.
S-1170: The product name and composition are as described above.
S-1670: The product name and composition are as described above.

[Freshness preservation evaluation]
The filmed oysters of Test Examples 11 to 15 and the oysters of Test Example 16 were evaluated for freshness retention based on the weight retention rate and the hardness retention rate.
It is easy to see the change that oysters become softer as they age, and it is common for consumers to evaluate the freshness of persimmons by hardness. In addition, the freshness retention effect was confirmed by the hardness maintenance rate.

(Weight maintenance rate)
After storing the coated oysters of Test Examples 11 to 15 and the oysters of Test Example 16 at 25 ° C. and 50% RH for 7 days, 9 days, and 12 days based on the weight of the oysters before storage (0 days). Weight retention rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 days) × 100 (%)) was determined.

(Hardness maintenance rate)
Six coated oysters from Test Examples 11 to 15 and six oysters from Test Example 16 were prepared, and the percentage of samples that passed the following criteria was used as the hardness maintenance rate (Reference; Journal of the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science / Volume 38 (1969). ) Relationship between post-harvest maturation and respiratory type of No. 2 fruit (1st report) Presence or absence of respiratory climate in oyster fruits, Takashi Iwata, Katsuya Nakagawa, Kuniyasu Ogata).
A: Hard enough.
B: It's quite soft overall, but it's solid.
C: If you press it with your finger, it will almost collapse. Or a part of the flesh becomes water-soaked.
D: Very soft. Or part of the pericarp is ruptured.
Measurements were performed according to this index, and C and D rank fruits were evaluated as softened (failed).

Table 3 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 11 to 16.

From Table 3, the coated oysters of Test Examples 11 to 15 were superior to the oysters of Test Example 16 in both the weight retention rate and the hardness retention rate. It was confirmed that the effect of preserving freshness can be obtained by providing the above.

<Test Examples 17-18: Sudachi>
In Test Examples 17 to 18, a film was formed on the surface of Sudachi and the freshness was evaluated.

"Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1670" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 4 to prepare the composition of Test Example 17.
The composition of Test Example 17 was applied to the surface of Sudachi by a dipping method and dried at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 30 minutes to form a film. In addition, Sudachi, which does not form a film, was designated as Test Example 18.

[Freshness preservation evaluation]
The filmed sudachi of Test Example 17 and the sudachi of Test Example 18 were evaluated for freshness retention by weight retention rate and color.
It is easy to understand the change in color of sudachi from green to yellow as it ages, and it is common for consumers to evaluate the freshness of sudachi by color, so for sudachi, to confirm transpiration suppression. In addition to the weight retention rate of Sudachi, the freshness retention effect was confirmed by the color.

(Weight maintenance rate)
The weight of the coated sudachi of Test Example 17 and the weight of the sudachi of Test Example 18 after being stored at 15 ° C. and 90% RH for 6, 8 and 11 days based on the weight of the sudachi before storage (0 days). The maintenance rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 days) × 100 (%)) was determined.

(colour)
Five coated sudachi of Test Example 17 and five Sudachi of Test Example 18 were prepared and the color change was evaluated.
◯ (good): 80% or more of the entire surface is green, which is equivalent to the blank (state of Test Example 18 on day 0).
X (no good): Less than 80% of the entire surface is green, which is equivalent to a blank (state of Test Example 18 on day 0).
The above evaluation was carried out four times before storage (0 days) and after storage at 15 ° C. and 90% RH for 6 days, 8 days and 11 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: More than 80% of the samples can be evaluated as ○ (good).
B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 60% and 80% or less.
C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 40% and 60% or less.
D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 20% and 40% or less.
E: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is 20% or less.

Table 4 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 17 to 18.

From Table 4, since the coated sudachi of Test Example 17 was superior to the sudachi of Test Example 18 in both weight retention rate and color change, a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant was provided on the surface of the sudachi. It was confirmed that the effect of maintaining freshness can be obtained.

<Test Examples 19 to 22: Water vapor barrier property>
In Test Examples 19 to 22, a coating film was formed on the polyethylene terephthalate film and the water vapor barrier property was evaluated.

[Test Example 19]
An aqueous composition 5-1 was prepared by dissolving "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-570" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant was 2% by mass.
The above aqueous composition 5-1 was previously applied to a PET film (50 μm thick, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd .: A4160 type) corona-treated on the highly smooth surface side with a # 20 bar coater, and the above-mentioned aqueous composition 5-1 was applied at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 24 hours. After drying, a coating film having a thickness (after drying) of 0.74 μm was formed on the PET film.

[Test Example 20]
An aqueous composition 5-2 was prepared by dissolving "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1670" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant was 2% by mass.
Using the above aqueous composition 5-2, a coating film having a thickness of 0.58 μm was formed in the same manner as in Test Example 19.

[Test Example 21]
The PET film with a coating film obtained in Test Example 20 was heated at 70 ° C. for 15 minutes and then cooled.

[Test Example 22]
The PET film that does not form a coating film was designated as Test Example 22.

[Evaluation of water vapor barrier property]
The PET film with a coating film of Test Examples 19 to 21 and the PET film of Test Example 22 were measured at 30 ° C. and 50% RH at 30 ° C. using a water vapor transmittance measuring device DELTAPERM manufactured by Technolux based on the JIS K7129-5 method. The water vapor permeability under the conditions was measured.
Further, for the PET films with coating films of Test Examples 19 to 21, the water vapor transmittance per 1 μm of the coating film was calculated by the following formula.

Table 5 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 19 to 22.

From Table 5, since the PET film with the coating film of Test Examples 19 to 21 was superior in water vapor barrier property to the PET film of Test Example 22, the film containing the sugar-based surfactant has water vapor barrier property. Was confirmed.
Further, in Test Examples 20 and 21, the water vapor barrier property changed before and after the heat treatment. Since the sugar-based surfactant (S-1670) used in Test Examples 20 and 21 has a slow crystal growth, the coating film before the heat treatment has a crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant in the coating film. On the other hand, the coating film after the heat treatment does not have the crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant. Therefore, from the results of Test Examples 20 and 21, it was confirmed that the water vapor barrier property was further improved by the coating film having a crystal structure.

<Test Examples 23-26: Oxygen barrier property>
In Test Examples 23 to 26, a coating film was formed on the polyethylene terephthalate film and the oxygen barrier property was evaluated.

[Test Example 23]
An aqueous composition 6-1 was prepared by dissolving "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant was 2% by mass.
The above aqueous composition 6-1 was previously applied to a PET film (50 μm thick, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd .: A4160 type) corona-treated on the highly smooth surface side with a # 20 bar coater, and the aqueous composition 6-1 was applied at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 24 hours. After drying, a coating film having a thickness (after drying) of 0.42 μm was formed on the PET film.

[Test Example 24]
An aqueous composition 6-2 was prepared by dissolving "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant was 5% by mass.
Using the above aqueous composition 6-2, a coating film having a thickness of 0.56 μm was formed in the same manner as in Test Example 23.

[Test Example 25]
The PET film with a coating film obtained in Test Example 24 was heated at 70 ° C. for 15 minutes and then cooled.

[Test Example 26]
The PET film that does not form a coating film was designated as Test Example 26.

[Oxygen barrier property evaluation]
With respect to the PET film with a coating film of Test Examples 23 to 25 and the PET film of Test Example 26, 25 using the oxygen permeability measuring device "OX-TRAN 2/21" manufactured by MOCON based on JIS K7126-2. Oxygen permeability was measured under the conditions of ° C. and 50% RH.
Further, for the PET films with coating films of Test Examples 23 to 25, the oxygen permeability per 1 μm of the coating film was calculated by the following formula.

Table 6 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 23 to 26.

From Table 6, since the PET film with the coating film of Test Examples 23 to 25 was superior in oxygen barrier property to the PET film of Test Example 26, the film containing the sugar-based surfactant has an oxygen barrier property. Was confirmed.
Further, in Test Examples 24 and 25, the oxygen barrier property changed before and after the heat treatment. Since the sugar-based surfactant (S-1170) used in Test Examples 24 and 25 has a slow crystal growth, the coating film before the heat treatment has a crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant in the coating film. On the other hand, the coating film after the heat treatment does not have the crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant. Therefore, from the results of Test Examples 24 and 25, it was confirmed that the oxygen barrier property was further improved by the coating film having a crystal structure.

<Test Examples 27-28: Shine Muscat>
In Test Examples 27 to 28, a film was formed on the surface of Shine Muscat and the freshness was evaluated.

"Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 7 to prepare the composition of Test Example 27.
The composition of Test Example 27 was applied to the surface of Shine Muscat by a dipping method and dried at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 30 minutes to form a film. Further, Shine Muscat, which does not form a film, was designated as Test Example 28.

[Freshness preservation evaluation]
Shine Muscat is known to cause browning of the cob when the freshness decreases. Therefore, the filmed Shine Muscat of Test Example 27 and the Shine Muscat of Test Example 28 were evaluated for freshness retention by the color of the cob.

(colour)
Eight Shine Muscats with a coating of Test Example 27 and eight Shine Muscats of Test Example 28 were prepared, and the change in the color of the cob was evaluated.
◯ (good): On the entire surface of the cob, 80% or more of the green portion is equivalent to the blank (state of Test Example 28 on day 0).
X (no good): On the entire surface of the cob, less than 80% of the green part is equivalent to the blank (state of Test Example 28 on day 0).
The above evaluation was performed 5 times before storage (0 days) and after storage at 5 ° C. and 50% RH for 13 days, 15 days, 18 days and 21 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: More than 75% of the samples can be evaluated as ○ (good).
B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 50% and 75% or less.
C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 25% and 50% or less.
D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 0% and 25% or less.
E: There is no sample that can be evaluated as ○ (good) (0%).

Table 7 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 27 to 28.

From Table 7, since the change in the color of the cob was smaller in the coated Shine Muscat of Test Example 27 than in the Shine Muscat of Test Example 28, a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant was provided on the surface of the Shine Muscat. It was confirmed that the effect of maintaining freshness can be obtained.

<Test Examples 29-30: Kyoho>
In Test Examples 29 to 30, a film was formed on the surface of Kyoho and the freshness was evaluated.

"Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 8 to prepare the composition of Test Example 29.
The composition of Test Example 29 was applied to the surface of Kyoho by a dipping method and dried at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 30 minutes to form a film. In addition, Kyoho, which does not form a film, was designated as Test Example 30.

[Freshness preservation evaluation]
Kyoho is known to cause browning of the cob when the freshness decreases. Therefore, the Kyoho with a coating of Test Example 29 and the Kyoho of Test Example 30 were evaluated for freshness retention by the color of the cob.

(colour)
Six Kyoho with a coating of Test Example 29 and six Kyoho of Test Example 30 were prepared, and the change in the color of the cob was evaluated.
◯ (good): On the entire surface of the cob, 80% or more of the green portion is equivalent to the blank (state of Test Example 30 on day 0).
X (no good): On the entire surface of the cob, less than 80% of the green part is equivalent to a blank (state of 0 day in Test Example 30).
The above evaluation was carried out four times before storage (0 days) and after storage at 5 ° C. and 50% RH for 10 days, 13 days and 16 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: More than 80% of the samples can be evaluated as ○ (good).
B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 60% and 80% or less.
C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 40% and 60% or less.
D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 20% and 40% or less.
E: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is 20% or less.

Table 8 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 29 to 30.

From Table 8, since the change in the color of the cob was smaller in the coated Kyoho of Test Example 29 than in the Kyoho of Test Example 30, freshness was maintained by providing a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the Kyoho. It was confirmed that the effect was obtained.

<Test Examples 31-33: Strawberry>
In Test Examples 31 to 33, a film was formed on the surface of the strawberry (Kaorino) to evaluate the freshness retention.

The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 9 to prepare the compositions of Test Examples 31 to 32.
The compositions of Test Examples 31 to 32 were applied to the surface of the strawberry by a dipping method and dried at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.) for 30 minutes to form a film. Further, the strawberry which does not form a film was designated as Test Example 33.
P-1570: The product name and composition are as described above.
S-1670: The product name and composition are as described above.

[Freshness preservation evaluation]
The coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 and the strawberries of Test Example 33 were evaluated for freshness retention based on the gloss retention rate, the freshness of the gaku and the weight retention rate.
It is known that when the freshness of strawberries decreases, the surface gloss is lost and the gaku withers. It was confirmed.

(Gloss maintenance rate)
16 coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 and 16 strawberries of Test Example 33 were prepared and the change in surface gloss was evaluated.
◯ (good): 80% or more of the entire surface of the strawberry has a glossy portion equivalent to that of the blank (state of Test Example 33 on day 0).
X (no good): Less than 80% of the entire surface of the strawberry has a glossy portion equivalent to that of a blank (state of Test Example 33 on day 0).
The above evaluation was performed 4 times before storage (0 days) and after storage at 5 ° C. and 50% RH for 3 days, 7 days, and 9 days, and the change in surface gloss was evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: More than 80% of the samples can be evaluated as ○ (good).
B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 60% and 80% or less.
C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 40% and 60% or less.
D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 20% and 40% or less.
E: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is 20% or less.

(Freshness of gaku)
16 coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 and 16 strawberries of Test Example 33 were prepared and the change in freshness of gaku was evaluated.
◯ (good): In one strawberry, the number of twisted leaves of gaku is one or less.
X (no good): In one strawberry, the number of twisted gaku leaves exceeds one.
The above evaluation was performed 4 times before storage (0 days) and after storage at 5 ° C. and 50% RH for 3 days, 7 days and 9 days, and the change in freshness of gaku was evaluated according to the following criteria.
A: More than 80% of the samples can be evaluated as ○ (good).
B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 60% and 80% or less.
C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 40% and 60% or less.
D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is more than 20% and 40% or less.
E: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ◯ (good) is 20% or less.

(Weight maintenance rate)
After storing the coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 and the strawberries of Test Example 33 at 5 ° C. and 50% RH for 3, 7, and 9 days based on the weight of the strawberries before storage (0 days). Weight retention rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 days) × 100 (%)) was determined.

Table 9 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 31 to 33.

From Table 9, the coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 maintained the luster and freshness of the gaku as compared with the strawberries of Test Example 33, and had an excellent weight retention rate. It was confirmed that the freshness-maintaining effect can be obtained by providing the film containing the activator.

<Test Examples 34 to 42: Partial coat>
In Test Examples 34 to 42, the efficiency of the film forming treatment and the effect on the freshness preserving effect when a film was formed on a part of avocado, oyster, and strawberry (red cheek) were evaluated.

[Test Example 34]
An aqueous composition 10-1 was prepared by dissolving "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1670" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant was 3% by mass.
The above-mentioned aqueous composition 10-1 was applied to the entire surface of the avocado by a dipping method, allowed to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), and the time (drying time) until the coating film became non-sticky on the entire surface was confirmed. ..

[Test Example 35]
The avocado was allowed to stand and the aqueous composition 10-1 was sprayed from above to the extent that the surface was wet to form a coating film on only one side of the avocado (50% or more with respect to the total surface area). After allowing to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), the time (drying time) until the coating film was not sticky on the entire surface was confirmed.

[Test Example 36]
Avocado that does not form a film was designated as Test Example 36.

[Freshness preservation evaluation (avocado)]
The coated avocados of Test Examples 34 to 35 and the avocados of Test Examples 36 were evaluated for freshness retention by weight retention rate, hardness and color according to the same criteria as in Test Examples 6 to 10.

[Test Example 37]
"Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant was 5% by mass to prepare an aqueous composition 10-2.
The above-mentioned aqueous composition 10-2 was applied to the entire surface of the oyster by a dipping method and allowed to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), and the time (drying time) until the coating film became non-sticky on the entire surface was confirmed. ..

[Test Example 38]
The oyster's oyster portion was immersed in the above-mentioned aqueous composition 10-2 with the oyster portion facing downward, and a coating film was formed only around the oyster. After allowing to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), the time (drying time) until the coating film was not sticky on the entire surface was confirmed.

[Test Example 39]
The oyster that did not form a film was designated as Test Example 39.

[Freshness preservation evaluation (oyster)]
The coated oysters of Test Examples 37 to 38 and the oysters of Test Example 39 were evaluated for freshness retention based on the weight retention rate and the hardness retention rate based on the same criteria as those of Test Examples 11 to 16.

[Test Example 40]
The above-mentioned aqueous composition 10-1 was applied to the entire surface of the strawberry by a dipping method and allowed to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), and the time (drying time) until the coating film became non-sticky on the entire surface was confirmed. ..

[Test Example 41]
The strawberry was allowed to stand and the aqueous composition 10-1 was sprayed from above to the extent that the surface was wet to form a coating film on only one side of the strawberry (50% or more with respect to the total surface area). After allowing to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), the time (drying time) until the coating film was not sticky on the entire surface was confirmed.

[Test Example 42]
Strawberries that do not form a film were designated as Test Example 42.

[Freshness preservation evaluation (strawberry)]
The coated strawberries of Test Examples 40 and 41 and the strawberries of Test Example 42 were evaluated for freshness retention based on the weight retention rate.

(Weight maintenance rate)
After storing the coated strawberries of Test Examples 40 and 41 and the strawberries of Test Example 42 at 5 ° C. and 80% RH for 4 days, 7 days and 10 days based on the weight of the strawberries before storage (0 days). Weight retention rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 days) × 100 (%)) was determined.

Table 10 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 34 to 42.

From Table 10, compared with Test Examples 34, 37 and 40 in which a film was formed on the whole of avocado, oyster and strawberry, Test Examples 35, 38 and 41 in which a film was partially formed could shorten the drying time and formed a film. It was confirmed that the efficiency of strawberry is high. It is considered that this is because when a film is formed on the entire surface, a liquid pool is formed on the lower surface when the film is allowed to stand, and it takes time to dry the coating film.
Further, even in Test Examples 35, 38 and 41 in which a film was partially formed, the film was superior to Test Examples 36, 39 and 42 in terms of weight retention rate, hardness and color, so that the film was avocado and oyster. It was also confirmed that the freshness-preserving effect can be obtained even if only a part of the strawberry is present.

<Test Examples 43-52: Liquid stability>
In Test Examples 43 to 52, the liquid stability of the composition was evaluated.

The following materials were blended in the amounts shown in Table 11 to prepare the compositions of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Examples 49 to 52. Specifically, the sugar-based surfactant (nonvolatile component) is dissolved in an aqueous solvent consisting of ethanol and water at 73 ° C. so as to have the content shown in Table 11, and then at room temperature (25 ° C.). The mixture was allowed to stand for 2 hours to prepare a coating liquid (composition). The materials used are as follows.
S-1670; Sucrose stearic acid ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB approx. 16
P-1670; sucrose palmitic acid ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 16
S-170; sucrose stearic acid ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 1
O-170; sucrose oleic acid ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 1
ER-290; sucrose erucic acid ester, "Ryoto (registered trademark) sugar ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 2
In Table 11, the content of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups is described in the column of "low fatty acid ester", and the content of the sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups is described. It is described in the column of "high fatty acid ester". These contents are values calculated from the value of the number of fatty acid ester groups measured from each of the above products according to METHOD OF ACSAY and the blending ratio of each product.

[evaluation]
(Precipitate or suspended matter)
The presence or absence of a precipitate or suspended matter in the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Examples 49 to 52 was visually evaluated immediately after preparation and after being left for 4 days. The evaluation criteria are as follows.
A (very good): There is no precipitate or suspended matter, and the transparency of the liquid is uniform.
B (good): A slight amount of precipitate or suspended matter is observed, but the transparency of the liquid is uniform by 80% or more.
C (poor): Some precipitate or suspended matter is observed, but the boundary between the liquid phase and the precipitate or suspended matter is ambiguous.
D (very poor): A clear precipitate or suspension is seen, and the liquid phase and the precipitate or suspension are clearly separated.

(Appearance of coating film)
The coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Examples 49 to 52 were applied to strawberries by a dipping method, allowed to stand at room temperature (20 to 25 ° C.), and dried. evaluated. The evaluation criteria are as follows.
A (very good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or the surface whitening is less than 5%.
B (good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or the surface being whitened is 5% or more and less than 50%.
C (poor): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or the surface being whitened is 50% or more.

The oxygen barrier property and the water vapor barrier property were evaluated by the same methods as in Test Examples 19 to 22 and Test Examples 23 to 26.

(Weight maintenance rate)
The grapes coated with the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Example 49 by the dipping method and the grapes of Test Example 48 (without coating) were based on the weight of the grapes before storage (0 days). The weight retention rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 days) × 100 (%)) after storage at 12 ° C. and 80% RH for 5 days, 12 days, and 24 days was determined.

From the results in Table 11, the compositions of Test Examples 43 to 47 had little precipitate or suspended matter, the transparency of the liquid was almost uniform, and the stability of the liquid was high, both immediately after preparation and after standing for 4 days. It was proved. Further, the coating film composed of the compositions of Test Examples 43 to 47 has oxygen barrier property and water vapor barrier property, and can suppress transpiration from grapes more than Test Example 48, so that it has sufficient freshness retention performance. It was suggested that they were doing it.
On the other hand, in Test Examples 49 to 51 in which the content of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups is less than 50% by mass, clear precipitation or clear precipitation or after standing for 4 days immediately after production is performed. Floating matter was seen, and the liquid phase and the precipitate or suspended matter were clearly separated. That is, it can be seen that the stability of the liquid is poor. Further, in Test Example 52 in which the content of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups exceeds 98% by mass, the liquid stability immediately after preparation is high, but after standing for 4 days, it slightly precipitates or floats. Things were seen.

<Test Examples 53 to 62: Drying speed>
In Test Examples 53 to 62, the drying speed of the coating liquid was evaluated.

The following materials were blended in the amounts shown in Table 12 to prepare the compositions of Test Examples 53 to 56 and Test Examples 58 to 62. Specifically, the sugar-based surfactant (nonvolatile component) is dissolved in an aqueous solvent consisting of ethanol and water at 73 ° C. so as to have the content shown in Table 12, and then at room temperature (25 ° C.). The mixture was allowed to stand for 2 hours to prepare a coating liquid (composition). The materials used are the same as in Test Examples 43-52.
The contents of "saturated fatty acid" and "unsaturated fatty acid" in Table 12 were calculated from the types of constituent fatty acids of each of the above products, the value of the number of fatty acid ester groups of each product, and the blending ratio of each product. The value.

[evaluation]
(surface tension)
The surface tension of the composition is measured by the Wilhelmy method using a surface tension meter (manufactured by Kyowa Surface Science Co., Ltd .: high-performance surface tension meter DineMaster "DY-500") under the condition of 25 ° C. using a platinum plate. gone. The measurement was performed three times, and the average value was calculated.

(Defoaming time)
15 mL of the composition was placed in a 50 mL glass bottle, and the glass bottle was vigorously shaken up and down 10 times under the condition of 25 ° C. to generate bubbles on the upper surface of the composition. Looking at the glass bottle from above, the time until the bubbles disappeared and the liquid level was confirmed was measured. The shorter the defoaming time, the less likely it is that bubbles will remain until after drying when bubbles are generated due to liquid transfer or the like in the coating process. In Test Examples 55 and 56, since the bubbles disappeared immediately after shaking the glass bottle, it is described as "<1".

(Drying speed)
The coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 53 to 56 and Test Examples 58 to 62 were applied to strawberries by a dipping method, and the time required for drying was confirmed under the conditions of a temperature of 25 ° C. and a humidity of 25% RH. Whether or not the drying was completed was judged by the presence or absence of stickiness when the surface was touched with a finger. That is, it was assumed that the drying was completed when there was no stickiness.

(Appearance of coating film)
The appearance of the strawberries tested for the above drying rate was visually evaluated. The evaluation criteria are as follows.
A (very good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or the surface whitening is less than 5%.
B (good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or the surface being whitened is 5% or more and less than 50%.
C (poor): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or the surface being whitened is 50% or more.

The oxygen barrier property and the water vapor barrier property were evaluated by the same methods as in Test Examples 19 to 22 and Test Examples 23 to 26.

(Weight maintenance rate)
The grapes to which the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 53 to 56, Test Examples 58 to 59 and Test Example 61 were applied by the dipping method, and the grapes of Test Example 57 (without coating) were grapes before storage (0 days). The weight retention rate ((weight after storage / weight at 0 days) × 100 (%)) after storage at 12 ° C. and 80% RH for 5 days, 12 days, and 24 days was determined based on the weight of.

From the results in Table 12, the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 53 to 56 having a surface tension of 34 mN / m or less have a short defoaming time and a high drying rate, so that coating marks remain or the surface is surface. The number of whitened fruits was very small, less than 5%, and the coating appearance was extremely good. Further, the coating film composed of the compositions of Test Examples 53 to 56 has oxygen barrier property and water vapor barrier property, and can suppress transpiration from grapes more than Test Example 57, so that it has sufficient freshness retention performance. It was suggested that they were doing it.
On the other hand, in the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 58 to 62, the defoaming time is long and the drying speed is slow, so that coating marks remain or the number of fruits whose surface is whitened is 5% or more and 50. It was less than% or more than 50%, and the coating appearance was significantly inferior to that of the examples.

From the above Test Examples 1 to 18 and Test Examples 27 to 62, it was confirmed that the freshness of the food can be maintained by providing a film containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the food.
From Test Examples 19 to 22, it was confirmed that the film containing the sugar-based surfactant had a high water vapor barrier property, and it was presumed that the freshness of the food was maintained by the high water vapor barrier property of this film. .. Further, from Test Examples 23 to 26, it can be confirmed that the film containing the sugar-based surfactant has a good oxygen barrier property, and the oxygen barrier property of this film suppresses the respiration of fruits and vegetables and makes the food fresher. It was speculated that it was retained.
From Test Examples 34 to 42, it was confirmed that the freshness of the food can be maintained while increasing the efficiency of the film forming treatment by forming the film only on a part of the food.
From Test Examples 43 to 52, the composition containing 50 to 98% by mass of low fatty acid ester and 2 to 50% by mass of high fatty acid ester out of 100% by mass of sugar fatty acid ester has good liquid stability. It was confirmed that.
From Test Examples 53 to 62, it was confirmed that when the composition had a surface tension of 34 mN / m or less, the drying speed was high and the appearance after application was good.

In the present invention, the composition of the composition for forming the film is simple, and since it is composed of a sugar-based surfactant that can be used as a food, it has an advantage that it is safe in terms of food hygiene.
Further, in the present invention, since a film is directly applied to the food to impart gas barrier properties, it is not necessary to use a resin packaging film as in the conventional case, and the filmless film can be achieved, which leads to a reduction in the environmental load. It has the advantage of.

Since the coated food of the present invention has a film having a high water vapor barrier property, transpiration from the food can be suppressed, so that the freshness can be maintained for a long period of time. Since the film also has an oxygen barrier property, aging due to respiration can be suppressed, especially in fruits and vegetables.
Further, in the present invention, since the film having the freshness-retaining performance is directly provided on the food, the plastic packaging material is not required as in the conventional case, the film-less film can be achieved, and the contribution to the reduction of the environmental load is great.
Further, as described above, the composition of the present invention for forming a coating film having high freshness retention has good liquid stability, excellent handleability, and is less likely to cause application marks on foods. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the appearance of the food.

1 Food shipping system 10 Food 11 Belt conveyor 12 Rotating roll 13 Immersion tank 14 Drying furnace 15 Evaluation device 16 Shipping vehicle

Claims (24)

1. A composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester, and the number of fatty acid ester groups is 3 or less in 100% by mass of the sugar-based fatty acid ester. A composition containing 50 to 98% by mass of a certain sugar fatty acid ester and 2 to 50% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups.
2. A composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, which has a surface tension of 34 mN / m or less at 25 ° C.
3. A food with a coating that has a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant and the coating covers only a part of the food.
4. A method for producing a coated food product, which comprises a step of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a part of a food product, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a part of a food product without a solvent.
5. One of the steps of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a food, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a food without a solvent, and the applied composition or a sugar-based surfactant. A step of removing a portion and a method for producing a coated food containing.
6. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester.
7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein 50% by mass or more of the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester are saturated fatty acids.
8. The composition according to claim 1 or 6, wherein the mass ratio of the saturated fatty acid and the unsaturated fatty acid among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester is 50/50 to 99/1.
9. The composition according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 6 to 8, wherein the content of the sugar-based surfactant among the non-volatile components in the composition is 60% by mass or more.
10. The composition according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 6 to 9, wherein the aqueous solvent is water or a mixture of water and alcohol.
11. The composition according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 6 to 10, which is used for coating fruits and vegetables.
12. The coated food according to claim 3, wherein the sugar-based surfactant is a sucrose fatty acid ester.
13. The coated food according to claim 12, wherein the lipophilic group of the sugar-based surfactant is a saturated fatty acid.
14. The coated food according to claim 12 or 13, which contains 50% by mass or more of sugar fatty acid esters having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is 100% by mass.
15. The coated food according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the sugar-based surfactant has an HLB of 5 or more.
16. The coated food according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the average film thickness of the coating film is 0.1 μm or more and 10 μm or less.
17. The coated food according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the crystal melting peak temperature of the coating is 40 ° C. or higher and 80 ° C. or lower.
18. The coated food according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the food is a fruit or vegetable.
19. The method for producing a coated food product according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the coating method is a dipping method or a jetting method.
20. A film forming method comprising a step of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a part of a food, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a part of a food without a solvent.
21. The film forming method according to claim 20, wherein the coating method is a dipping method or an injection method.
22. A step of applying a composition containing a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a food, or a step of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a food without a solvent is included, and the composition or the sugar-based surfactant is applied to the food. After that, a film forming method for removing a part of the applied composition or sugar-based surfactant.
23. A method for shipping food, which comprises (A) a step of transporting food, (B) a step of forming a film on the food, and (C) a step of inspecting the coated food using an evaluation device. ) A method for shipping a food product, wherein a film is formed by the method according to any one of claims 20 to 22 in the step.
24. 23. The method for shipping a food product according to claim 23, wherein the inspection step (C) comprises at least one inspection selected from the group consisting of a visual inspection, a sugar content inspection, and a size inspection.
    
    

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