JP7370175B2 - Oil-in-water emulsified fat composition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an oil-in-water emulsified fat composition that has good melt-in-the-mouth quality and long-lasting flavor.

Oil and fat compositions used in margarine, etc., which are spread on bread or used as fillings for bread and confectionery, are eaten directly and the flavor of the oil and fat composition itself can be enjoyed, so they are suitable for use in bakery dough. The characteristics required are different from those required when kneading it or using it as a frying oil.

For example, in terms of flavor, if an oil or fat composition for a spread contains water-soluble or oil-soluble taste components in addition to the richness of the oil or fat, it is necessary that the flavor can be sufficiently felt. These flavors need to be felt mildly for a long time from when the oil/fat composition for spread is put into the mouth until when it is swallowed. Therefore, oil and fat compositions for spreads are required to develop flavor and maintain flavor. In terms of physical properties, it is required not only to have heat resistance to the extent that it does not dissolve during the filling process, but also to have heat resistance and shape retention to the extent that it does not dissolve during distribution and does not impregnate bread and confectionery.

On the other hand, oil-in-water type emulsified fat compositions, which use soft fats and oils such as liquid oils in the inner oil phase, have heretofore been used as fat and oil compositions for spreads. By separating the taste components into an inner oil phase, a water phase, and an outer oil phase, it becomes easier to feel the richness and flavor of the fat, and the inner oil phase uses a soft fat such as liquid oil. This is because good melting in the mouth can be obtained. In addition, among those skilled in the art, an oil-in-water emulsified fat composition is sometimes expressed as O1/W/O2, the internal oil phase is sometimes expressed as O1, and the aqueous phase is expressed as W. The external oil phase is sometimes expressed as O2.

Regarding oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat compositions, for example, methods have been proposed in which the emulsification state is adjusted using a specific emulsifier (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-328254 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-213290

When a soft fat such as a liquid oil is used as the inner oil phase of an oil-in-water emulsified fat composition, the following problems occur. That is, when soft fats and oils such as liquid oils are used to improve melting in the mouth, there is a problem that the flavor does not last long. In general, there is a trade-off relationship between meltability in the mouth and flavor persistence. Specifically, increasing the meltability in the mouth will result in steeper flavor development, resulting in a decrease in flavor persistence, and increasing flavor persistence will worsen the meltability in the mouth. There is a relationship. For this reason, there has been a need to achieve both meltability in the mouth and flavor persistence.

In order to solve this problem, we obtained an oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition that has a good balance between mouth solubility and flavor persistence even if the emulsification state is adjusted as in Patent Documents 1 and 2. In particular, the meltability in the mouth was likely to be low.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition that has both meltability in the mouth and flavor persistence even when a soft fat such as liquid oil is used for the inner oil phase. Our goal is to provide the following.

In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors focused on the internal oil phase of oil-in-water emulsions and conducted intensive studies. It has been found that the above problem can be solved by gelling the inner oil phase of an oil-in-water emulsified fat composition and modifying the physical properties of the inner oil phase, which is completely different from the conventional method.

The present invention has been made based on the above findings, and is an oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition having a gelled inner oil phase, the inner oil phase containing an oil-fat gelling agent, and at 20°C. The present invention provides an oil-in-water-in-oil type emulsified fat composition, which is a gel having a storage modulus of 20 to 2000 Pa. The invention specifically provides the following.
[1] An oil-in-water emulsified fat composition having a gelled inner oil phase,
An oil-in-water-type emulsified oil-fat composition, characterized in that the inner oil phase contains an oil-fat gelling agent and is a gel having a storage modulus of 20 to 2000 Pa at 20°C.
[2] The oil-in-water emulsified fat composition according to item 1, wherein the internal oil phase has a hardness of 5 to 1000 g/cm ² at 20°C.
[3] The oil-in-water emulsified fat composition according to 1 or 2, wherein the SFC at 20° C. of the fat constituting the internal oil phase is 0 to 30%.
[4] The oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition according to any one of 1 to 3, which is used for spreads.
[5] A method for producing an oil-in-water emulsified fat composition according to any one of 1 to 4, wherein the inner oil phase is gelled so that the storage modulus at 20°C is 20 to 2000 Pa. 1. A method for producing an oil-in-oil-in-water emulsified fat composition, the method comprising the step of:

According to the present invention, an oil-in-water emulsion that achieves both meltability in the mouth (flavor development) and flavor persistence even when a soft fat such as liquid oil is used in the inner oil phase. A composition can be obtained.

[Oil-in-water oil composition]
Hereinafter, the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention will be described in detail.

The emulsified product of the present invention must be an oil-in-water-in-oil type, but the oil-in-water-in-oil type referred to in the present invention includes in addition to the O1/W/O2 type oil-in-water type. , oil-in-oil type (O/O type). The O/O type emulsion is a type of oil-in-water emulsion, and refers to a state in which many O/W emulsions with one inner oil phase exist in the outer oil phase. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-267166; British Patent No. 614925), page 1 left column lines 8-11 and page 2 lines 48-57; Oils and Fats Vol. 38, No. 8 (1985), pp. 81-84; Takao Watanabe, "Food development and surfactants - their basics and applications", Korin Co., Ltd., published March 10, 1990, pp. 119-122 (this document W/W emulsification is explained as a type of W/O/W emulsification.)).

<Inner oil phase>
First, the internal oil phase of the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention will be described.
Hereinafter, the inner oil phase of the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention may be simply referred to as "inner oil phase."

(gelation, storage modulus, hardness)
The oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention is characterized in that the internal oil phase is a gel with a storage modulus of 20 to 2000 Pa at 20°C. Such an oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition is an oil-in-water-type emulsified oil composition obtained by a manufacturing method that includes a step of gelling the inner oil phase so that the storage modulus at 20° C. is 20 to 2000 Pa. It is also an oil and fat composition.

Although it varies depending on the type of fat used in the inner oil phase and the type of fat gelling agent contained in the inner oil phase, the storage elastic modulus of the inner oil phase at 20°C is 20~20 from the viewpoint of mouth solubility and flavor sustainability. It is preferable that it is 2000Pa. Since the storage modulus of the internal oil phase at 20° C. is 2000 Pa or less, the hardness of the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition of the present invention does not become too hard, and the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition of the present invention can be eaten. The texture when cooked is good. When the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition is margarine, the storage modulus of the internal oil phase at 20°C is preferably 210 to 1500 Pa from the viewpoint of exhibiting better mouth solubility and flavor persistence. The pressure is more preferably 240 to 1300 Pa. In addition, when the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition is a fat spread, the storage modulus of the internal oil phase at 20°C is 120 to 1500 Pa from the viewpoint of exhibiting better mouth solubility and flavor persistence. It is more preferable that the pressure is 130 to 150 Pa.

The value of the storage modulus of the inner oil phase can be measured, for example, using a viscosity/viscoelasticity measuring device (HAAKE MARS) manufactured by Thermo Scientific, using a disc-shaped plunger with a radius of 17.5 mm, a gap of 1 mm, a sample volume of 1 mL, and a measurement temperature. It can be obtained by measuring under measurement conditions of 0 to 84°C.

Here, the storage modulus of a gel is the ability to retain stress stored inside the gel, and indicates the elasticity of the gel during dynamic behavior. Generally, a gel is one in which a small amount of a solid component absorbs a large amount of a liquid component that is a continuous phase, expands to a certain limit volume, and exhibits behavior as an elastic solid. The solid component acts as a so-called gelling agent, and a three-dimensional network structure created by the solid component encloses the liquid component to form a gel.

In the present invention, an oil or fat gelling agent is added to and mixed with liquid oil (liquid at 25°C) or dissolved oil or fat, that is, liquid oil or fat, and then cooled. can be made into a gel. In addition, in this application, even if an oil or fat that is solid at room temperature is heated and melted, an oil or fat gelling agent is added and mixed, and when it is cooled, it solidifies due to the formation of oil or fat crystals. shall be handled.

In order to further improve mouth solubility and flavor persistence, in addition to setting the storage modulus of the inner oil phase at 20°C within the above range, the inner oil phase of the present invention has a hardness of 5 to 1000 g/cm at 20°C. It is preferable that it is ² . When the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition is margarine, the hardness of the inner oil phase at 20°C is 20 to 1100 g/cm ² from the viewpoint of exhibiting better mouth meltability and flavor persistence. More preferably, it is 25 to 960 g/cm ² . In addition, when the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition is a fat spread, the hardness of the inner oil phase at 20°C is 310 to 1000 g/cm from the viewpoint of exhibiting better mouth solubility and flavor persistence. More preferably, it is ² , and even more preferably 340 to 400 g/cm ² .

The hardness of the internal oil phase at 50° C. is preferably 5 to 65 g/cm ² , more preferably 20 to 40 g/cm ² .

The value of the hardness of the inner oil phase can be determined by measuring the maximum stress using a rheometer manufactured by Fudo Kogyo Co., Ltd. with a φ10 mm disc-shaped plunger at a sample entry speed of 20 mm/min, and obtaining this directly as the hardness. I can do it.

(Type of oil and fat)
The types of fats and oils that can be used in the inner oil phase are not particularly limited as long as they are edible, but examples include palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, and saline oil. One or more of various vegetable oils and fats such as flower oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, beef tallow, milk fat, lard, cacao fat, fish oil, and whale oil, animal fats and oils, and hydrogenation, fractionation, and transesterification of these. Examples include processed oils and fats. In the present invention, these oils and fats can be used alone, or two or more types can be used in combination as an oil and fat blend. In addition, when butter or fermented butter is used as milk fat, when calculating the milk fat content in the internal oil phase, the pure oil content in the butter or fermented butter is used for calculation. In addition, regarding the present invention, when referring to fats and oils constituting the inner oil phase, it refers to the fats and oils when used alone, and refers to the fats and oils mixture when two or more types are used in combination as an oils and fats mixture.

The melting point of the fat or oil used in the inner oil phase is preferably lower than the gelation initiation temperature of the fat or oil gelling agent used, and is preferably 55° C. or lower, although this cannot be determined unconditionally depending on the oil or fat gelling agent used.

(SFC)
Here, with respect to the storage modulus of the inner oil phase and preferably the hardness of the inner oil phase, from the viewpoint of satisfying the above range, the fats and oils used in the inner oil phase (if two or more types are used in combination as an oil and fat blend) , SFC (Solid Fat Content) at 20°C (as an oil/fat blend) is preferably 0 to 35%, more preferably 0 to 30%, and 0.1 to 25%. It is more preferable. By using an oil or fat whose SFC at 20°C is within the above range for the inner oil phase, the storage modulus and hardness at 20°C of the inner oil phase can be easily adjusted to the above range, and flavor development and flavor are improved. It becomes easier to obtain an oil-in-water emulsified oil composition with good sustainability.

The SFC value indicates the content of solid fat in fats and oils at a predetermined temperature, and can be measured by a conventional method. After measuring the SFC of the sample to be measured using the direct method, the measured value is converted to the amount of oil phase and the value is used. That is, when a sample that does not contain an aqueous phase is measured, the measured value becomes the SFC as is, and when a sample that contains an aqueous phase is measured, the SFC is the value obtained by converting the measured value into the amount of oil phase. (The same applies to SFC measurements below.)

(Preparation method of internal oil phase)
Here, a method for preparing the gelled internal oil phase will be described.
The gelled internal oil phase of the present invention is a liquid oil, that is, if it is a liquid oil, it is made into a liquid as it is, or if it is solid at room temperature, it is made into a liquid by heating as necessary, and an oil or fat gelling agent. It can be prepared by mixing and cooling if necessary.

Specifically, the gelled internal oil phase of the present invention is produced by heating a mixture of fat and fat gelling agent to about 50 to 80°C and stirring, depending on the melting point of the fat or fat gelling agent used. It is obtained by uniformly mixing the mixture and then cooling it. Alternatively, the gelling agent may be added to heated fats and oils, stirred to mix uniformly, and then cooled. Furthermore, during the manufacturing process of the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition described below, the inner oil phase may be gelled by cooling after preparing an emulsion containing the inner oil phase. For example, a liquid fat containing a fat gelling agent may be used as an inner oil phase, and after being emulsified into an aqueous phase and an oil-in-water type, it may be cooled. The oil phase may be emulsified into an oil-in-water type with an aqueous phase, and then an external oil phase may be added and emulsified into an oil-in-oil-in-water type, followed by cooling.

As a method for gelling the inner oil phase of the oil-in-water-type emulsified oil-fat composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of stabilizing the oil-in-water-type emulsion, a liquid oil-fat containing an oil-fat gelling agent is used. It is preferable to emulsify the aqueous phase into an oil-in-water type, then further add an external oil phase and emulsify the mixture into an oil-in-oil-in-water type, and then cool the mixture. Note that cooling during gelation of the internal oil phase may be performed by slow cooling or rapid cooling. When rapidly cooling, it is preferable to cool at a rate of 0.5° C./second or more, and more preferably at a rate of 1° C./second or more.

Here, the oil-fat gelling agent to be contained in the inner oil phase of the oil-in-water-type emulsified oil-fat composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and existing known substances having the ability to gel fats and oils can be used. . Examples include lecithin, glycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol monoester or propylene glycol diester, sterols, waxes, and the like. These oil and fat gelling agents can be contained alone, or two or more types can be used in combination. Of course, commercially available products containing these may also be used.

Here, as the fat/oil gelling agent used in the inner oil phase of the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention, it is preferable to contain a polyglycerin fatty acid ester, since it can be gelled efficiently with a small amount. . More preferably, it is preferable to use a polyglycerol fatty acid ester having a degree of esterification of 70% or more, an average degree of polymerization of 10-mer or more, and a proportion of fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid composition of 45% or more. As a commercially available product that preferably satisfies this condition, for example, "TAISET AD" (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.) can be used.

The amount of the fat gelling agent contained in the inner oil phase of the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention varies depending on the type of fat and oil used in the inner oil phase, the type of fat gelling agent, and the gelling ability. The storage modulus at 20° C. is adjusted as appropriate so that it falls within the above range, but for example, it is preferably contained in 0.3 to 3.5 parts by mass, and 0.8 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of fat and oil in the inner oil phase. It is more preferable to contain up to 3.2 parts by mass. In addition, when containing a plurality of fat and oil gelling agents, it is preferable to contain them so that the total amount thereof falls within the above range.

A simple method for checking the state of gelation is, for example, by placing a mixture of fat and oil gelling agent in a container such as a beaker, heating it to 50 to 80°C, stirring and mixing, and then cooling. A method of visually checking the fluidity etc. of the liquid by tilting the container etc. is mentioned. Among the methods for obtaining the gelled inner oil phase described above, there is a method in which the inner oil phase and the aqueous phase are emulsified into an oil-in-water type and then cooled, and a method in which the inner oil phase, the aqueous phase, and the outer oil phase are emulsified into an oil-in-water type. For confirmation of gelation of the internal oil phase when the internal oil phase is gelled by cooling after preparing an emulsion containing the internal oil phase, such as by cooling after emulsifying into an oil-in-water type, please refer to the above-mentioned method. Before manufacturing an oil-in-water type emulsified oil composition, it is necessary to separately confirm in advance that the oil and fat gel according to the method, and also to measure the storage modulus of the gel as appropriate, and to confirm that the oil and fat gel when stored at 20°C. It is sufficient to select the type of fat gelling agent and adjust the amount added to the fat and oil in the inner oil phase in advance so that the elastic modulus is 20 to 2000 Pa. In addition, if an oil-fat gelling agent is added to the outer oil phase, the melting in the mouth of the obtained oil-in-water emulsion will deteriorate, flavor development will deteriorate, and the texture may feel hard. gels the inner oil phase by adding a fat gelling agent to the inner oil phase.

In the oil-in-water-type emulsified oil-fat composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of improving flavor development and flavor persistence, it is preferable that a flavor component is contained in the inner oil phase in which the oil-fat gelling agent is present. Although flavor components may be contained in the outer oil phase, which is a continuous phase, by localizing them in the inner oil phase where the fat gelling agent is present, flavor development and flavor persistence are more preferably increased. The flavor component can be used without any particular restriction as long as it is oil-soluble. For example, edible fats and oils with characteristic flavors such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, olive oil, and peanut oil, and those flavors can be used. Examples include concentrated flavor oils and fats, seasoning oils such as chili oil and green onion oil, and oil-soluble fragrances. An example of an oil-soluble flavoring is a milky flavor.

<Foreign oil minister>
Next, the outer oil phase of the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention will be described.
The oils and fats used in the outer oil phase of the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they are edible, but include, for example, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, Various vegetable and animal fats and fats such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, beef tallow, milk fat, lard, cacao fat, fish oil, and whale oil, as well as hydrogenation, fractionation, and Examples include processed fats and oils that have been subjected to one or more treatments selected from transesterification. In the present invention, these oils and fats can be used alone, or two or more types can be used in combination as an oil and fat blend. In addition, regarding the present invention, when referring to fats and oils constituting the external oil phase, when the fats and oils are used alone, it refers to the fats and oils concerned, and when two or more types are used in combination as a fats and oils mixture, it refers to the fats and oils mixture.

In the oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition of the present invention, these fats and oils can be used without particular restrictions, but they must have good mouth solubility, flavor development, flavor persistence, good spreadability, and shape retention. From the viewpoint of obtaining an oil-in-water type emulsified oil/fat composition having good properties and heat resistance, the SFC of the oil/fat used in the outer oil phase (when two or more types are used in combination as an oil/fat mixture, as an oil/fat mixture) is , preferably 5 to 50%, more preferably 10 to 40%, even more preferably 10 to 30% at 20°C.

In addition, the SFC at 30°C of the fats and oils used in the outer oil phase (as an oil and fat blend when two or more types are used in combination as an oil and fat blend) is preferably 1 to 20%, more preferably 2 to 17%. , more preferably 3 to 15%.

In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining an oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition that has good mouth solubility, flavor development, flavor persistence, good spreadability, shape retention, and heat resistance, the oil and fat used in the outer oil phase ( When using a combination of two or more types as an oil/fat blend, the content of lauric acid in the fatty acid composition (as the oil/fat blend) is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less. Note that the lower limit of the content of lauric acid in the fatty acid composition of the oil and fat used for the outer oil phase is 0% by mass.

The oil content in the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but the total content of the outer oil phase and inner oil phase is preferably 30 to 90% by mass, more preferably 40% by mass. ~90% by mass. Note that the oil content is calculated based on the total amount of pure oil in the raw material containing fat and oil in addition to the edible fat content.

<Aqueous phase>
Next, the aqueous phase of the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention will be described.
The water content of the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 50% by mass, more preferably 10 to 40% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 30% by mass. %. Note that the water content is calculated based on the total amount of pure water in the water-containing raw materials in addition to the water to be blended.

<Ratio of inner oil phase, water phase, and outer oil phase>
In the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention, the ratio of the inner oil phase to the water phase to the outer oil phase is such that emulsion stability is good and the richness of the fat is easily felt. The proportion of the external oil phase is preferably 10% to 90%, more preferably 10% to 85%. In addition, the ratio of the inner oil phase, water phase, and outer oil phase in the present invention is preferably 1 to 20:10 to 40:50 to 90, more preferably 1 to 15:10 to 30:60 in terms of mass ratio. ~90.

<Phospholipids, monoglycerides, and others>
Here, the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention preferably contains a phospholipid or a monoglyceride in the outer oil phase, and preferably contains a phospholipid in the aqueous phase.

(phospholipid)
The phospholipid used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and any phospholipid that can be used in foods may be used. As the phospholipid, for example, diacylglycerophospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidic acid can be used. It is also possible to use lysophospholipids whose emulsifying power has been improved by enzymatic treatment, and food materials containing phospholipids and/or lysophospholipids. In the present invention, one or more selected from these phospholipids can be used as the phospholipid. By containing the above-mentioned phospholipids in both the external oil phase and the aqueous phase, the resulting oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat composition is prevented from melting in the mouth with a strong oily feel, and the oil-in-water type oil-in-water type of the present invention It is easy to prevent the emulsification from breaking and becoming a water-in-oil emulsion during the production of the emulsified oil and fat composition.

Here, as the phospholipid to be contained in the external oil phase, it is preferable to use food materials containing phospholipids and/or lysophospholipids among the above-mentioned phospholipids, and particularly preferably soybean lecithin, rapeseed lecithin, Oil-soluble food materials and food additives such as egg yolk lecithin, milk lecithin, corn lecithin, safflower lecithin, and egg yolk oil are used.

Further, as the phospholipid contained in the aqueous phase, it is preferable to use a water-dispersed phospholipid. Water-dispersed phospholipids include artificial lipid-protein complexes that are formed by forming a complex with a high-molecular protein such as sodium caseinate in an aqueous solution, and then concentrated or powdered, as well as natural lipid-protein complexes and biological complexes. Examples include complexes of phospholipids and proteins (lipid bilayer membranes) that exist in It is preferable to use a natural lipid-protein complex because of its good properties. Note that it is also possible to use phospholipids that are not water-dispersible, but in that case, it is preferable that at least 10% by mass, particularly 20% by mass or more of the phospholipids used be used as water-dispersible. In that case, it is preferable to first disperse water-dispersible phospholipids in the aqueous phase and then disperse non-water-dispersible phospholipids.

In the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention, for the above-mentioned reasons, it is preferable to use a food material containing phospholipid rather than the phospholipid itself as the phospholipid contained in the aqueous phase. Examples of food materials containing phospholipids include egg yolk, soybean, and milk such as cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and human's milk. In the present invention, from the viewpoint of flavor and texture, it is preferable to use a food material containing milk-derived phospholipids, and it is more preferable to use a food material containing milk-derived phospholipids.

When using a food material containing the milk-derived phospholipid, the food material preferably has a phospholipid content of 2% by mass or more in the solid content, more preferably 3% by mass or more, More preferably, it is 4 to 40% by mass.

Moreover, the food material containing the above-mentioned phospholipids may be in liquid form, powder form, or concentrate. However, food materials that have been concentrated using a solvent so that the phospholipid content in milk-derived solids is 2% by mass or more are preferably not used in the present invention due to flavor problems.

Examples of food materials in which the phospholipid content in the milk-derived solids is 2% by mass or more include, for example, an aqueous phase component produced when butter oil is produced from cream or butter. The aqueous phase component produced when butter oil is produced from this cream or butter has a composition that is significantly different from the so-called buttermilk produced when butter is produced from ordinary cream, and is characterized by containing a large amount of phospholipids. There is. Buttermilk varies greatly depending on its manufacturing method, but the phospholipid content in the solids derived from milk is usually about 0.5 to 1.5% by mass, whereas buttermilk is produced from cream or butter. The aqueous phase component produced during the production of butter oil contains a large amount of phospholipid, with the phospholipid content in the milk-derived solid content being approximately 2 to 15% by mass.

In addition, as the aqueous phase component, the aqueous phase component produced when producing butter oil from cream or butter may be used as it is, as long as the phospholipid content in the milk-derived solid content is 2% by mass or more. Alternatively, those that have been subjected to treatments such as spray drying, concentration, and freezing may also be used. However, when milk-derived phospholipids are heated at high temperatures, their functions deteriorate, so during heating, concentration, or when heating for sterilization, the temperature is preferably less than 100°C, and less than 60°C. It is even more preferable that there be.

Here, the content of phospholipids in the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention, including the content of phospholipids contained in the oil phase, is preferably 0.05 to 1. The amount is 5% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 0.7% by mass.

Further, in the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of the content of phospholipids in the outer oil phase to the content in the aqueous phase, that is, the phospholipid content of the outer oil phase:phospholipid of the aqueous phase. The content is preferably 40:60 to 85:15, more preferably 50:50 to 80:20. If the phospholipid content ratio in the outer oil phase is less than 40, there is a problem that the emulsification between the outer oil phase and the aqueous phase becomes unstable, and heat-resistant shape retention tends to deteriorate. If the content ratio is greater than 85, melting in the mouth may deteriorate, and the oil-in-water-in-oil type cannot be maintained during production, resulting in a water-in-oil emulsion.

(monoglyceride)
Examples of monoglycerides used in the present invention include monolaurin (12 carbon atoms), monomyristin (14 carbon atoms), monomyristolein (14 carbon atoms), monopalmitine (16 carbon atoms), monopalmitolein (16 carbon atoms), Monostearin (18 carbon atoms), monoolein (18 carbon atoms), monolinolein (18 carbon atoms), monolinolenin (18 carbon atoms), monoarachidin (20 carbon atoms), monoicosene (20 carbon atoms), monoicosadiene (20 carbon atoms) ), monoicosatriene (20 carbon atoms), monoarachidone (20 carbon atoms), monopehene (22 carbon atoms), monodococene (22 carbon atoms), monodocosahexaene (24 carbon atoms), etc., saturated compounds with 12 to 24 carbon atoms. Alternatively, monoglycerides composed of unsaturated straight chain fatty acids can be mentioned. In the present invention, among these monoglycerides, those composed of saturated or unsaturated straight chain fatty acids having 14 to 18 carbon atoms are preferably used. These monoglycerides may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Here, the monoglyceride content in the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 1.0% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 0.5% by mass. It is. In addition, when the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention takes the form of a product with a low oil content and a relatively high water content, such as a fat spread, monoglycerides may be contained in the outer oil phase. preferable.

(Other ingredients)
Other components that can be contained in the oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention include, for example, emulsifiers that do not have an oil-fat gelling ability, thickening stabilizers, sugars, acetic acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, etc. Acidulants, β-carotene, caramel, colorants such as red yeast rice pigment, tocopherol, antioxidants such as tea extract, vegetable proteins such as wheat protein and soybean protein, eggs and various egg processed products, dextrins, flavorings, Milk and dairy products other than those listed above, seasonings, pH adjusters, food preservatives, shelf life enhancers, enzymes, organic salts, inorganic salts, fruits, fruit juices, coffee, nut pastes, spices, cacao mass, cocoa powder, grains, beans , food materials such as vegetables, meat, seafood, and food additives.

The above-mentioned thickening stabilizers include guar gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, alginic acids, pectin, xanthan gum, pullulan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, crystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, agar, glucomannan, gelatin. , starch, modified starch, etc., and one or more types selected from these can be used, but since there is a possibility that the taste may be inhibited, the content should be 0 to 0.1% by mass. It is preferable that

[Production method]
Next, the method for producing an oil-in-water-type emulsified oil-fat composition of the present invention will be explained using an O/W/O type oil-in-water-type emulsified oil-fat composition as an example. The method for producing an oil-in-water emulsified fat composition of the present invention is characterized in that the internal oil phase is gelled.

A water phase is prepared by adding and mixing flavoring materials and water-soluble components to water. On the other hand, an oil phase 1 (inner oil phase) is prepared by adding and mixing an oil-fat gelling agent, preferably a flavoring material, and an oil-soluble component to a liquid oil and fat heated as necessary, and preferably a phospholipid, Oil phase 2 (outer oil phase) is prepared by adding and mixing oil-soluble components.

Next, the aqueous phase and the oil phase 1 are mixed and emulsified to obtain an O/W emulsion. Next, this O/W type emulsion is introduced into the oil phase 2 to obtain an O/W/O type emulsion. Then, it is desirable to sterilize the O/W/O type emulsion. The sterilization method may be a batch method in a tank or a continuous method using a plate heat exchanger or scraped heat exchanger.

Next, the O/W/O type emulsion is cooled to gel the internal oil phase and at the same time to plasticize it to form an oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion of the present invention in the form of an O/W/O type emulsion. Obtain an oil and fat composition. Equipment for cooling and plasticizing include closed type continuous tube coolers, such as margarine making machines such as votators, combinators, and perfectors, and plate type heat exchangers, as well as open type dia coolers and compressors. Examples include combinations of rectors.

In addition, nitrogen, air, etc. may or may not be aerated in any of the production steps when producing the oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition of the present invention in the form of an O/W/O type emulsion. I don't mind.

Examples of methods for producing an O/O type emulsified oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition, which is a type of oil-in-water type, include the following four methods.
(1) Oil phase 1 (inner oil phase), water phase and oil phase 2 (outer oil phase) are emulsified to produce an O/W/O emulsion, and then the O/W/O emulsion is A method for obtaining an O/O type oil-in-oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition by cooling, plasticizing, and phase inversion.
(2) The water phase and the oil phase are emulsified to obtain an O/W type emulsion, and then the O/W type emulsion is cooled, plasticized, and phase inverted to form an O/O type water-in-oil emulsion. A method for obtaining an oil-type emulsified fat composition.
(3) Emulsify the aqueous phase and the oil phase to obtain a W/O emulsion, then phase invert the W/O emulsion to obtain an O/W emulsion, and then A method for obtaining an O/O type oil-in-oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition by cooling, plasticizing, and phase inverting a type emulsion.
(4) Emulsify the aqueous phase and oil phase to obtain a W/O emulsion, then phase invert the W/O emulsion to obtain an O/W/O emulsion, and then /W/O type emulsion is cooled, plasticized, and phase inverted to obtain an O/O type oil-in-water type emulsified oil/fat composition.

The manufacturing machine for producing the oil-in-water type emulsified oil/fat composition of the present invention in the O/O type emulsified form is used to manufacture the above O/W/O type oil-in-water type emulsified oil/fat composition. It is possible to use the same manufacturing machine as the actual manufacturing machine.

Further, in any of the production steps when producing the oil-in-water type emulsified fat composition of the present invention in the O/O type emulsified form, nitrogen, air, etc. may or may not be aerated. I do not care. The hardness at 20°C of the oil-in-water emulsified fat composition obtained as described above indicates good mouth meltability, flavor development, flavor persistence, good spreadability and shape retention, and heat resistance. From the viewpoint of performance, it is preferably 250 to 600 g/cm ² , more preferably 420 to 550 g/cm ² .

[Application to food]
The oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition of the present invention can be widely used for kneading, roll-in, filling, sandwich, topping, spreading on bread, etc., and has good spreadability. When eaten directly, it melts in the mouth well, and when put in the mouth, it is excellent in expressing the richness of fats and oils and the flavor of taste components, and the flavor is felt to last for a long time. Therefore, in the confectionery and bread making fields, it is particularly preferably used for spreads, such as applications for spreading on bread, as well as applications for use as fillings for bread and confectionery in the wholesale and retail bakery fields. Regarding the present invention, when it is used for spread, it includes use for spreading on bread and use as a filling for bread and confectionery.

The oil-in-water-type emulsified oil/fat composition of the present invention is suitable for use in products that are eaten directly and where the flavor of the oil/fat composition itself can be enjoyed, specifically margarine (mainly margarine used by spreading on bread), fat spread, etc. suitable for.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on Examples.

(Manufacture example 1: Raw material oil/fat blend)
The following fats and oils A to C were heated to 60° C. and dissolved, and mixed at a mass ratio of fats and oils A: fats and oils B: fats and oils C = 30:6:64 to prepare an oil and fat blend.

Fats and oils A: 75 parts by mass of palm kernel oil and 25 parts by mass of extremely hardened palm oil were mixed and stirred in a dissolved state. This mixed fat and oil is subjected to random transesterification using sodium methoxide according to a conventional method, and then purified according to a conventional method to obtain a transesterified fat and oil.

Fats and oils B: 50 parts by mass of palm kernel oil and 50 parts by mass of extremely hardened palm oil were mixed and stirred in a dissolved state. This mixed fat and oil is subjected to random transesterification using sodium methoxide according to a conventional method, and then purified according to a conventional method to obtain a transesterified fat and oil.

Fat C: Liquid oil (rapeseed oil)

Note that the SFC of the oil/fat blend at 20°C was 20.1%, and the SFC at 30°C was 9.2%. Furthermore, the content of lauric acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition of the oil and fat blend was 11.7% by mass. Furthermore, the SFC of milk fat at 20°C was 15.9%, and the SFC at 30°C was 4.9%. Furthermore, the SFC of the liquid oil at 20°C was 0.3%, and the SFC at 30°C was 0.1%.

(Examples 1 to 11, Comparative Examples 1 to 9)
According to the formulations shown in Table 1, oil-in-water-type emulsified fat compositions A to T were prepared according to the following procedure. At that time, at the stage where the inner oil phase was prepared, 30 mL of a portion of the inner oil phase was poured into a 100 mL beaker, and after leaving it for 1 hour in a refrigerator at 5°C, the beaker was overturned and its condition was confirmed. The internal oil phase of oil-in-water emulsified fat compositions A and B containing no gelling agent had fluidity. On the other hand, oil-in-water type emulsified fat compositions M, O, and Q, which similarly do not contain a fat gelling agent, did not have fluidity, probably due to solidification of the fat. The inner oil phase of the oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat compositions C to G, I, K, L, N, P, and RT containing an oil and fat gelling agent gelled and did not have fluidity. Ta. On the other hand, water-in-oil type emulsified oil and fat compositions H and J containing an oil and fat gelling agent had fluidity.

The storage modulus and hardness of the internal oil phase were measured using the methods described above.

<Method for preparing oil-in-water-type emulsified fat compositions A to T>
First, for the inner oil phase, either liquid oil, milk fat, or fat blend was heated until it reached the melting point of the fat gelling agent used, and then the fat gelling agent was added and stirred and dissolved. A fragrance was added to this to form an inner oil phase. Next, for the aqueous phase, a concentrate of aqueous phase components produced when producing butter oil from common salt and cream was added to water, stirred and dissolved, and an aqueous phase was obtained.
Next, for the outer oil phase, lecithin and fragrance were added to the oil/fat blend, stirred and dissolved, and an outer oil phase was obtained.

The obtained internal oil phase and aqueous phase were mixed, stirred gently at 60 to 65°C, and then passed through a homogenizer under the conditions of primary pressure 6.0 MPa/secondary pressure 10.0 MPa to form an O/W emulsion. I got it.

The obtained O/W emulsion was poured into an external oil phase that had been heated to 65° C. and stirred to obtain an oil-in-water-type emulsified preliminary emulsion. The obtained pre-emulsion was sterilized at 85°C and then pre-cooled to 50°C. The pre-cooled pre-emulsion was rapidly cooled and plasticized in a combinator to obtain oil-in-water emulsified fat compositions A to T. The produced oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat compositions A to P had the oil and water content of margarine, and the oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat compositions Q to T had the oil and water content of the fat spread standard.

<Flavor sensory evaluation method>
The obtained oil-in-water-type emulsified oil and fat compositions A to T were sensory evaluated by 12 expert panelists for flavor persistence and flavor development according to the following evaluation criteria. Furthermore, prior to the actual evaluation, the panelists who participated in the evaluation agreed on the level of sensuality corresponding to each score in advance.

The total score of the 12 panelists was used as the evaluation score, and the results are shown in Table 1 as follows. In addition, the control in the evaluation of flavor development refers to one that does not contain an oil-fat gelling agent in the internal oil phase, and specifically refers to the oil-in-water-type emulsified oil and fat compositions A, M, O, and Q. When evaluating flavor development, a test was conducted comparing each fat and oil used in the inner oil phase with each control.

46-60 points: ◎, 31-45 points: ○, 16-30 points: △, 0-15 points: ×

・Flavor persistence 5 points...Flavor can be felt from the top to the end.
3 points...I can feel the flavor from the top to the middle, but the last flavor is weak.
1 point...I can feel the flavor at the top, but the flavor from the middle to the end is weak.
0 points...You can feel the flavor at the top, but it disappears quickly.

Note that the top flavor refers to the flavor immediately after the sample is placed in the mouth (within 2 to 3 seconds).
The middle flavor refers to the flavor that is felt during chewing from 2 to 3 seconds after the sample is placed in the mouth to 8 to 10 seconds.
The last flavor refers to the flavor from 8 to 10 seconds after the sample is placed in the mouth, after mastication, until the sample disappears or is swallowed.

- Flavor expression 5 points...Flavor expression is good as in the control.
3 points...Flavor expression is somewhat good.
1 point...Flavor expression is somewhat poor.
0 points: Poor flavor expression.

<Spreadability evaluation method>
After storing the obtained oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat compositions A to T in a constant temperature bath at 5°C overnight, the ease of spreading when applied to bread with a butter knife was evaluated on a four-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. The total score of the 12 panelists was used as the evaluation score, and the results are shown in Table 1 as shown below. Furthermore, prior to the actual evaluation, the panelists who participated in the evaluation agreed on the level of sensuality corresponding to each score in advance.

46-60 points: ◎, 31-45 points: ○, 16-30 points: △, 0-15 points: ×

- Spreadability evaluation criteria: 5 points...Good growth and very good performance.
3 points: Slightly hard, but good.
1 point: Poor elongation and somewhat poor quality.
0 points...The spread is difficult and poor.

<Evaluation results>
First, oil-in-water emulsified fat compositions A to P, which are margarines, were evaluated. Comparing the control oil-in-water emulsified oil composition A with the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition C, it was found that the persistence of flavor was improved due to the gelation of the internal oil phase. I understand. Furthermore, when comparing oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat compositions A to C, it is found that the gelling agent is not simply added to the outer oil phase or the inner oil phase of the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition. It has been found that by selectively gelling the internal oil phase, flavor persistence of oil-in-water emulsified fat compositions can be obtained.

In addition, when comparing oil-in-water emulsified oil composition H and oil-in-water emulsified oil composition I, or oil-in-water emulsified oil composition J and oil-in-water emulsified oil composition K, Although the oil-in-water emulsified oil compositions H and J contain an oil-fat gelling agent, no improvement in flavor persistence was observed. On the other hand, improvement in flavor persistence was observed for oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat compositions I and K. From these results, it was found that the flavor persistence of oil-in-water emulsified oil compositions is not improved simply by incorporating an oil-fat gelling agent into the inner oil phase, but rather by having a certain storage modulus. It was confirmed that it is important to gel the inner oil phase.

Furthermore, when comparing oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat compositions A and C to F, it was found that flavor persistence tends to improve as the gel strength of the inner oil phase increases as measured by storage modulus. . On the other hand, it was found that increasing the gel strength excessively impairs the flavor development.

Further, when comparing the oil-in-water-in-oil emulsified oil composition M and the oil-in-water-in-oil emulsified oil-fat composition N, and the oil-in-water-in-oil emulsified oil composition O and the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition P, respectively, Regarding the improvement of flavor persistence by gelling the inner oil phase, it was found that the effect can be obtained regardless of the fat or oil used in the inner oil phase.

Next, oil-in-water emulsified fat compositions Q to T, which are fat spreads, were evaluated. Similar to the case of margarine, when comparing the control oil-in-water emulsified oil composition Q with the oil-in-water emulsified oil composition R, it was found that the internal oil phase was gelled, resulting in a change in flavor. It was found that the durability was improved.

It has been found that even in fat spreads, flavor persistence can be improved in the same way as margarine by gelling the internal oil phase until it has a certain storage modulus.

Claims (5)

An oil-in-water emulsified fat composition having a gelled internal oil phase,
An oil-in-water-type emulsified oil-fat composition, characterized in that the inner oil phase contains an oil-fat gelling agent and is a gel having a storage modulus of 20 to 2000 Pa at 20°C. The oil-in-water emulsified fat composition according to claim 1, wherein the internal oil phase has a hardness of 5 to 1000 g/cm ² at 20°C. The oil-in-water emulsified fat composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the SFC at 20°C of the fat constituting the internal oil phase is 0 to 30%. The oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is used for spreads. A method for producing an oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising gelling the inner oil phase so that the storage modulus at 20°C is 20 to 2000 Pa. A method for producing an oil-in-oil-in-water emulsified fat composition, the method comprising the step of: