JP7668235B2 - Salt taste enhancer containing carotenoid decomposition product as an active ingredient - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a carotenoid hydrolysate that has an excellent effect of enhancing the saltiness of food and its use.

In recent years, high salt intake has been said to be one of the causes of heart disease.

For this reason, efforts are underway to develop foods or seasonings (hereinafter referred to as "foods") with reduced salt content. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing foods with enhanced saltiness, which is characterized by adding a predetermined amount of arginine and/or its salt, and gluconic acid and/or its salt to the raw materials. However, in light of the diversification of consumer preferences and the needs of food and other businesses, there has been a demand for the provision of new materials with different origins from conventional ones.

JP 2013-208057 A

The object of the present invention is to provide a material that has excellent effect of enhancing the saltiness of food.

As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the present inventors have found that the saltiness of food can be enhanced by using a carotenoid degradation product, and have completed the present invention.
[1]
A food saltiness enhancer that uses carotenoid decomposition products as its active ingredient.
[2]
The salty taste enhancer according to [1], wherein the carotenoid decomposition product is one or more decomposition products selected from the group consisting of carotene and xanthophyll.
[3]
The salty taste enhancer according to [1] or [2], wherein the carotenoid decomposition product is contained in an amount of 1 ppm by mass or more and 40,000 ppm by mass or less, calculated as the amount of carotenoid before decomposition.
[4]
The salty taste enhancer according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the carotenoid decomposition product is a carotenoid thermal oxidative decomposition product.
[5]
The salty taste enhancer according to any one of [1] to [4], which is in the form of an oil or fat composition.
[6]
A method for producing a salty taste enhancer for food, comprising a step of oxidizing carotenoids in fats and oils to obtain a carotenoid decomposition product.
[7]
The method for producing the oil or fat described in [6], wherein the oil or fat is obtained by a process of adding a carotenoid to a raw oil or fat.
[8]
The method for producing the present invention according to [6], wherein the oil is a palm-based oil having a total content of β-carotene and α-carotene of 50 ppm by mass or more and 2000 ppm by mass or less.
[9]
The method for producing a composition according to any one of [6] to [8], wherein the oil or fat has an iodine value of 0 to 140.
[10]
The method according to any one of [6] to [9], wherein the oxidation treatment is a treatment of oxidizing the fat or oil so that the peroxide value is 3 or more and 250 or less.
[11]
The method for producing a semiconductor device according to any one of [6] to [10], wherein the oxidation treatment is carried out by heat treatment at 50° C. or higher and 220° C. or lower for 0.1 hour or higher and 240 hours or lower.
[12]
The method according to [11], wherein the product of the heating temperature (°C) and the heating time (hours) is 20 or more and 20,000 or less.
[13]
The manufacturing method according to any one of [6] to [12], wherein the oxidation treatment is carried out by supplying oxygen.
[14]
The method for producing a carotenoid according to any one of [6] to [13], further comprising a step of mixing the carotenoid decomposition product with fats and oils.
[15]
The method for producing a salty taste enhancer according to any one of [6] to [14], wherein the salty taste enhancer contains the carotenoid decomposition product in an amount of 1 ppm by mass or more and 40,000 ppm by mass or less, calculated as the amount of carotenoid before decomposition.
[16]
A method for enhancing the saltiness of a food, comprising adding a carotenoid decomposition product to the food.
[17]
The method for enhancing the saltiness according to [16], wherein the food contains the carotenoid decomposition product in an amount of 1 x 10 ^-6 ppm by mass or more and 10 ppm by mass or less, calculated as the amount of carotenoid before decomposition.
[18]
A method for producing a food product, comprising the step of adding a carotenoid decomposition product to a salty food product.
[19]
A composition having enhanced saltiness comprising a salty component and a carotenoid degradation product.

According to the present invention, a material that is highly effective in enhancing the saltiness of food can be provided by utilizing carotenoid decomposition products.

The present invention is a salty taste enhancer for food that contains a carotenoid decomposition product as an active ingredient. The salty taste enhancer has the functionality of enhancing the salty taste of food.

The carotenoid decomposition product used in the present invention is a product of carotenoid decomposition. Examples of the carotenoid include carotenes such as β-carotene, α-carotene, and lycopene; xanthophylls such as lutein, canthaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, fucoxanthin, violaxanthin, lycopene, crocin, and capsanthin; and apocarotenoids such as retinol, bixin, norbixin, and crocetin. Among them, it is preferable that the carotene is one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of carotene and xanthophylls, more preferably one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of β-carotene, α-carotene, and astaxanthin, even more preferably one or two kinds selected from the group consisting of β-carotene and astaxanthin, and even more preferably β-carotene.
In addition, as the carotenoid decomposition product, food colorings approved and certified as food additives are generally confirmed to be safe for consumption, and therefore may be more preferably used. The carotenoid decomposition product may be used alone or in combination of two or more types, or two or more types of carotenoids may be used in combination and decomposed in a mixed state.

The carotenoid decomposition product is not particularly limited, but is preferably obtained by subjecting the carotenoids in fats and oils to an oxidation treatment, and more preferably by subjecting the carotenoids in fats and oils to a heat oxidation treatment.

The salty taste enhancer is preferably such that the carotenoid decomposition product has a content of 1 ppm by mass or more and 40,000 ppm by mass or less, more preferably a content of 10 ppm by mass or more and 30,000 ppm by mass or less, and even more preferably a content of 30 ppm by mass or more and 20,000 ppm by mass or less, when converted into the amount of carotenoids before decomposition.

There are no particular limitations on the amount of the salty taste enhancer of the present invention that may be blended into a food product, but using the carotenoid decomposition products as an index, it is preferable to incorporate the oil and fat composition containing the carotenoid decomposition products into a food product so that the total content of the carotenoid and its decomposition products, converted into the amount of the carotenoid before the decomposition step, is 1 x 10 ^-6 ppm by mass or more and ¹⁰ ppm by mass or less, more preferably 1 x 10 -5 ppm by mass or more and 7 ppm by mass or less, even more preferably 1 x 10 ^-4 ppm by mass or more and 5 ppm by mass or less, and even more preferably 1 x 10 ^-3 ppm by mass or more and 3 ppm by mass or less.

The carotenoid decomposition product may be added to other suitable edible oils and fats (hereinafter also referred to as "oils and fats") as appropriate to the extent that the functionality of the food containing the desired salty taste component is not impaired to form an oil and fat composition containing the carotenoid decomposition product. Examples of other edible oils and fats include vegetable oils and fats such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, corn oil, olive oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, rice oil, peanut oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, etc., animal oils and fats such as beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, fish oil, and milk fat, medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, and processed oils and fats obtained by fractionating, hydrogenating, transesterifying, etc., of these oils and fats. One type of these edible oils and fats may be used alone, or two or more types may be mixed together. The oil and fat composition may contain one type of carotenoid decomposition product alone in other edible oils and fats, or two or more types of carotenoid decomposition products may be used in combination. When two or more kinds of carotenoid degradation products are used in combination, the above content is the total content of the two or more kinds.

It is preferable to add the carotenoid decomposition product to edible fats and oils in an amount equivalent to 1 ppm by mass or more and 40,000 ppm by mass or less, converted into the amount of carotenoids before decomposition, more preferably 10 ppm by mass or more and 30,000 ppm by mass or less, and even more preferably 30 ppm by mass or more and 20,000 ppm by mass or less.

The present invention also provides a method for producing a salty taste enhancer for food, which includes a step of oxidizing carotenoids in fats and oils to obtain a carotenoid decomposition product.

The carotenoid decomposition product can be obtained by a predetermined heating process, optionally with the addition of oxygen (air). The carotenoid decomposition product may be appropriately extracted or concentrated from the oil composition containing the carotenoid-derived product. The method of extraction and concentration is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, an extraction method using an organic solvent, column chromatography, or a concentration method using molecular distillation or steam distillation.

The fats and oils used in the oxidation treatment can be obtained by a process of adding the carotenoid to the raw fats and oils. As the raw fats and oils, it is preferable to use one or more selected from the group consisting of medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides and vegetable fats and oils, it is more preferable to use one or two selected from the group consisting of medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides and rapeseed oil, and it is even more preferable to use medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. The carbon number of the medium-chain fatty acid is preferably 6 to 12, and more preferably 8 to 10. In addition, the fats and oils used in the oxidation treatment preferably have an iodine value (hereinafter also referred to as "IV") of 0 to 140, more preferably 0 to 130, and even more preferably 0 to 120. The carotenoid content in the fats and oils used in the oxidation treatment is preferably 1 ppm by mass or more and 40,000 ppm by mass or less, more preferably 10 ppm by mass or more and 30,000 ppm by mass or less, and even more preferably 30 ppm by mass or more and 20,000 ppm by mass or less.

The oil or fat used in the oxidation treatment may be a palm-based oil or fat having a total content of β-carotene and α-carotene of 50 ppm by mass or more and 2000 ppm by mass or less. The palm-based oil or fat used in the present invention may be any oil or fat obtained from the fruit of the oil palm, and may be one that has been subjected to treatments such as molecular distillation, fractionation, degumming, deacidification, bleaching, and deodorization. The method of each treatment is not particularly limited, and methods normally used in the processing and refining of oils and fats may be adopted. For example, fractionation may be performed by solvent fractionation or low-temperature filtration.

The total content of β-carotene and α-carotene contained in the palm-based oil is preferably 50 ppm by mass or more and 1000 ppm by mass or less, more preferably 80 ppm by mass or more and 500 ppm by mass or less, and even more preferably 120 ppm by mass or more and 500 ppm by mass or less. The palm-based oil may be one type alone or two or more types may be mixed together so that the total content of β-carotene and α-carotene falls within the above range.

The IV of the palm-based oil is preferably 20 or more and 90 or less, more preferably 40 or more and 80 or less, and even more preferably 50 or more and 70 or less.

The oxidation treatment of the palm-based oil is preferably performed to oxidize the palm-based oil to a peroxide value (hereinafter also referred to as "POV") of 3 or more and 250 or less, more preferably to oxidize to 10 or more and 200 or less, even more preferably to oxidize to 50 or more and 120 or less, and even more preferably to oxidize to 50 or more and 100 or less. The palm-based oil can be oxidized to a POV within a specified range, but the oxidation method is not particularly limited. By adjusting the POV to a specified range, the carotenoids in the palm-based oil can be decomposed.

From the viewpoint of industrial-scale production, the oxidation treatment is preferably carried out by placing the product in a suitable container such as a tank and then carrying out a predetermined heating process using a heating means such as an electric heater, direct flame burner, microwave, steam, or hot air heater attached to the container. The conditions of the heating process may be appropriately set so as to obtain a desired amount of the resultant product (e.g., carotenoid decomposition product). The conditions vary depending on the type of carotenoid and the type of raw oil used as the base oil, and are not generalized, but typically, the heating temperature is 50°C to 220°C and the heating time is 0.1 hours to 240 hours, and more typically, the heating temperature is 60°C to 160°C and the heating time is 1 hour to 100 hours. The conditions for the product of the heating temperature (°C) and the heating time (hours) (hereinafter also referred to as "temperature x time") are typically, for example, heat treatment performed at 200 or more and 20,000 or less, more typically, for example, heat treatment performed at 300 or more and 16,000 or less, and even more typically, for example, heat treatment performed at 400 or more and 14,000 or less, and may be appropriately set so as to obtain the desired amount of resultant product (e.g., carotenoid decomposition product).

During the oxidation treatment, oxygen (air) may be supplied by introducing oxygen from the open space of the container through stirring or by blowing in oxygen. The oxygen source may be air, etc. This promotes the decomposition of carotenoids. In this case, the amount of oxygen supplied is preferably 0.001 to 2 L/min per 1 kg of the fats and oils used in the oxidation treatment. For example, in the case of air, it is preferable that the amount is 0.005 to 10 L/min per 1 kg of the fats and oils used in the oxidation treatment, and more preferably 0.01 to 5 L/min.

The oxidation-treated product containing the carotenoid decomposition product obtained as described above may be further mixed with other fats and oils to form an oil and fat composition. The other fats and oils and their concentrations are as described above.

According to the present invention, by adding the above-mentioned salty taste enhancer to a food containing salty components, the saltiness of the food can be enhanced. More specifically, the salty taste enhancer is excellent in enhancing the saltiness of the salty components contained in the food. The effect of enhancing the saltiness of such foods containing salty components can be objectively determined, for example, by sensory evaluation by expert panelists who meet a fair standard.

The salty component to which the present invention is applied may be, for example, table salt, but is not limited thereto. In addition, it may contain sweet substances such as sugar, honey, maple syrup, erythritol, trehalose, aspartame, and umami substances such as glutamic acid and inosinic acid.

There are no particular limitations on the amount of the carotenoid decomposition product that may be added to food, but using the carotenoid decomposition product as an indicator, it is preferable to add the oil or fat composition containing the carotenoid decomposition product to food so that the total content of the carotenoid and its decomposition product, converted into the amount of the carotenoid before the decomposition step, is 1 x 10 ^-6 ppm by mass or more and 10 ppm by mass or less, more preferably 1 x 10 ^-5 ppm by mass or more and 7 ppm by mass or less, even more preferably 1 x 10 ^-4 ppm by mass or more and 5 ppm by mass or less, and even more preferably 1 x 10 ^-3 ppm by mass or more and 3 ppm by mass or less.

The food to which the present invention is applied is not particularly limited as long as it contains a salty component and thus exhibits a salty taste. Specific examples include oil-containing foods such as soups such as corn potage, curry, dumplings, and shumai, as well as foods that contain almost no oil or fat, such as clear soup, miso soup, consommé soup, and Chinese soup. Also included are liquid seasonings such as soy sauce and sauce, semi-solid seasonings such as miso, and powdered seasonings such as powdered soups that come with instant noodles. The salt content in the food is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.00001 to 10% by mass, and preferably 0.00005 to 8% by mass.

When the carotenoid degradation product is used in the form of a salty taste enhancer for food, there is no particular restriction on the formulation form, so long as it is in a form that can be used in food and can keep the carotenoid degradation product in a well-dispersed or stable state. For example, it may be prepared into liquid oils and fats, margarine, fat spreads, shortening, powdered oils and fats, etc., mainly composed of oil and fat components, by formulation techniques generally known to those skilled in the art, or it may be prepared into solutions, powders, gels, granules, etc., containing a small amount of oil and fat components, and these forms may be adopted arbitrarily. Note that the oxidation-treated product containing the carotenoid degradation product or the oil and fat composition containing it may be used as it is as a form for using the carotenoid degradation product for enhancing the salty taste of food.

In a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a composition having an enhanced saltiness may be prepared by adding a carotenoid decomposition product to a salty taste component such as table salt. The composition can also be suitably used as a raw material for food or seasoning. In this case, the salty taste component to be added to the composition may be one contained in a material such as a food ingredient and used as the material itself, or may be an extracted or purified product. In the composition, the amount of the carotenoid decomposition product per 1 part by mass of table salt as the salty taste component is preferably 1×10 −11 parts by mass or more and 1×10 −2 parts by mass or less, more preferably 1×10 ⁻¹⁰ parts by mass or more and 1×10 ⁻³ parts by mass or less, even more preferably 1×10 ⁻⁹ parts by mass or more and 1× ^{10 −4} parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 1× ^{10 −8} parts by mass or more and 1×10 ⁻⁵ parts by mass or less, in terms of the amount of carotenoid before decomposition.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but these examples are not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

First, the palm-based oils and fats, base oils, and carotenoids used in this example are listed below, along with an explanation of the methods for quantifying β-carotene, α-carotene, and astaxanthin, as well as the measurements of peroxide value (POV) and iodine value (IV).

[Palm-based oils and fats]
Red palm oil 1 (molecular distillation, single fractionation): IV = 58, total content of β-carotene and α-carotene 373 mass ppm, product name "Carotino Pure Olein" (manufactured by Carotino Co., Ltd.)
Red palm oil 2 (molecular distillation, single fractionation): IV = 58, total content of β-carotene and α-carotene: 444 ppm by mass, trade name "Carotino Pure Olein" (manufactured by Carotino Co., Ltd.)
Red palm oil 3 (molecular distillation, single fractionation): IV = 58, total content of β-carotene and α-carotene 457 ppm by mass, trade name "Carotino Pure Olein" (manufactured by Carotino Co., Ltd.)
Red palm oil 4 (unrefined, cold filtered): IV = 57, total content of β-carotene and α-carotene 341 ppm by mass, trade name "EV REDPALM OIL" (manufactured by Rain Forest Herbs)
Blended red palm oil: IV = 58, blended with the above red palm oil 1 and palm olein (in-house preparation) in a mass ratio of 1:2. Total content of β-carotene and α-carotene: 115 ppm by mass

[Base oil and carotenoid]
MCT (medium chain triglyceride): IV=0, product name "Coconard MT" (manufactured by Kao Corporation)
Rapeseed oil: IV = 115, product name "AJINOMOTO smooth canola oil" (manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.)
・β-carotene: β-carotene 30% suspension (manufactured by DSM)
・ Astaxanthin: Astaxanthin Oil Astabi AR5 (Biogenic Co., Ltd.)

[Quantitative Determination of β-Carotene and α-Carotene]
β-carotene and α-carotene were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (hereinafter also referred to as "HPLC analysis"). Specifically, 0.5 g of palm oil or oxidized product was weighed out, and diluted with acetone:tetrahydrofuran = 1:1 (volume ratio) to 10 mL, and subjected to HPLC analysis, and the contents of β-carotene and α-carotene were quantified from the calibration curve. The calibration curve was created from the peak areas when β-carotene (model number 035-05531) and α-carotene (model number 035-17981) reagents (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) were used as quantitative standards and subjected to HPLC analysis at predetermined concentrations. The main analysis conditions are shown below.

(HPLC conditions)
Detector: Photodiode array detector "2996 PHOTODIODE ARRAY DETECTOR" (Waters), detected at 300 to 600 nm Column: Shim-pack VP-ODS, 4.6 mm ID x 250 mm, 4.6 μm (Shimadzu Corporation)
Column temperature: 50°C
Injection volume: 5 μL
Flow rate: 1.2 mL/min. Mobile phase A: acetonitrile. Mobile phase B: ethanol. Mobile phase C: acetone. Gradient conditions: as shown in Table 1.

[Quantitative determination of astaxanthin]
The method for quantifying astaxanthin is described below. Quantification was performed by HPLC analysis. Specifically, 2 g of carotenoid, edible oil and fat to which carotenoid has been added, or oxidized oil and fat composition was weighed out, and each was diluted to 10 mL with acetone, dissolved, and subjected to HPLC analysis, and the astaxanthin content was quantified from the calibration curve. The calibration curve was created from the peak area when HPLC analysis was performed at each predetermined concentration using an astaxanthin (model number 600113) reagent (manufactured by MedKoo Biosciences) as a quantitative standard. The main analysis conditions are shown below.

(HPLC conditions)
Detector: Photodiode array detector "2996 PHOTODIODE ARRAY DETECTOR" (Waters), detected at 400 to 600 nm Column: YMC Carotenoid, 4.6 mm ID x 250 mm, 5 μm (YMC Corporation)
Column temperature: 25°C
Injection volume: 10 μL
Flow rate: 1.0 mL/min. Mobile phase A: methanol. Mobile phase B: tert-butyl methyl ether. Mobile phase C: water. Gradient conditions: as shown in Table 2.

[Measurement of Peroxide Value (POV)]
The measurement was performed in accordance with "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials 2.5.2 Peroxide Value" (Japan Oil Chemists' Society).

[Measurement of iodine value (IV)]
The measurement was carried out in accordance with "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials 2.3.4 Iodine Value" (Japan Oil Chemists' Society).

[Noodle soup, potage, pasta and olive oil]
The noodle soup, potage and pasta used in this example are listed below.

・Mentsuyu: Made with organic, naturally brewed soy sauce, no artificial seasonings added (straight), manufactured by Kadoya Co., Ltd. (salt content 3.5% by mass)
・Potage: "Knorr(R) Cup Soup" potage, manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (salt content 7.1% by mass)
Pasta: MaMa Spaghetti 1.6 mm, manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd. (salt content 1.5% by mass)
・Olive oil: FILIPPO BERIO(R) extra virgin olive oil, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.

[Sensory evaluation]
The method of sensory evaluation is described below. The sensory evaluation was performed by a panel of 3 to 5 experts, and the evaluation was performed using a score of 0, 1, 2, or 3 according to the following criteria. The median and average values were calculated from the evaluation scores of each expert panel.

(standard)
(Saltiness quality)
3 Significantly saltier than the control 2 Saltier than the control 1 Slightly saltier than the control 0 Same as the control

[Test Example 1] (Evaluation with noodle soup Part 1)
<Preparation of oxidized edible oils and fats>
Various palm-based fats and oils shown in Table 3 were used to prepare oxidation products thereof. Specifically, red palm oil containing a predetermined content (ppm by mass) of β-carotene and α-carotene was prepared and heat-treated under each heat treatment condition shown in Table 3 while stirring to obtain oxidation products of Examples 1 to 6. As shown in Table 3, the heat treatment was performed while blowing in a predetermined amount of air. In addition, one of the raw red palm oils that was not heat-treated was used as a control and designated as Comparative Example 1.

Table 3 shows the red palm oil used, the contents of β-carotene and α-carotene in the red palm oil and their total contents, the heat treatment conditions, the remaining amounts of β-carotene and α-carotene after heat treatment and their total remaining amounts, the POV values measured before and after heat treatment, and the temperature x time value. Note that for Example 5, the red palm oil was heated at 120°C for 5 hours, and then further heated at 80°C for 5 hours.

As shown in Table 3, the content of β-carotene and α-carotene in palm-based oils and fats was reduced by heat treatment, and all of the β-carotene and α-carotene in palm-based oils and fats could be decomposed by heating for a longer period of time or at a higher temperature. On the other hand, the POV value increased by heat treatment. Furthermore, the total remaining amount of β-carotene and α-carotene in Example 3 was 265 ppm by mass, whereas the total remaining amount of β-carotene and α-carotene in Example 5 was 198 ppm by mass, and the decomposition of β-carotene and α-carotene was promoted by increasing the value of temperature x time. Furthermore, as seen in Examples 1, 2, 4, and 6, 99% or more of the β-carotene and α-carotene in red palm oil could be decomposed when the value of temperature x time was 4000 or more.

<Preparation of edible fat and oil composition>
The heat-treated oils and fats of Examples 1 to 6 containing carotenoid decomposition products, which were prepared by heat-treating red palm oil, were added to rapeseed oil at 1 mass % to prepare edible oil and fat compositions containing carotenoid decomposition products in an amount of 1.08 to 4.57 ppm by mass, calculated as the amount of the carotenoids before the oxidation treatment. In addition, 1 mass % of Comparative Example 1, which is one of the raw red palm oils that was not heat-treated, was added to rapeseed oil as a control to prepare an edible oil and fat composition.

<Preparation and evaluation of noodle soup>
A sensory evaluation was carried out on the diluted noodle soup prepared by diluting 1 part of the noodle soup with 2 parts of water and adding the edible oil and fat composition prepared above in the proportions shown in Table 4. Specifically, the salty taste enhancement effect when eating the diluted noodle soup obtained was evaluated using, as a control, a diluted noodle soup to which an edible oil and fat composition containing one of the raw material red palm oils not subjected to heat treatment as Comparative Example 1 was added. As shown in Table 4, the sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of three experts.

As a result, as shown in Table 4, it was revealed that the edible oil and fat compositions containing the oil and fat compositions of Examples 1 to 6 containing carotenoid decomposition products had an effect of enhancing the saltiness of the diluted noodle soup stock, compared to the edible oil and fat composition containing one of the raw red palm oils not heat-treated as Comparative Example 1. In particular, Preparation Examples 1-5, 1-6, and 1-7, which contained the edible oil and fat compositions containing the oil and fat compositions of Examples 4, 5, and 6 (see Table 3), which showed POV values of 17 to 216, had a high effect of enhancing the saltiness of the diluted noodle soup stock. Note that, for the diluted noodle soup stocks of Preparation Examples 1-2 to 1-7, which showed a relatively high effect in this sensory evaluation, the amount of carotenoid decomposition products per 1 part by mass of salt was 1.6 to 5.3 x 10 ^-7 parts by mass, converted into the amount of carotenoids before decomposition.

[Test Example 2] (Evaluation with noodle soup part 2)
The oil and fat compositions of Examples 2 and 6 prepared in Table 3 were added to rapeseed oil at 0.1 mass % to prepare edible oil and fat compositions, which were then added to diluted noodle soup stock in the proportions shown in Table 5, and a sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1. As shown in Table 5, the sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of five experts, and instead of the control in Test Example 1, the diluted noodle soup stock of Preparation Example 2-1 containing the edible oil and fat composition prepared by adding 0.1 mass % of Comparative Example 1 in Table 3 to rapeseed oil was used as a control.

As a result, as shown in Table 5, it was revealed that the edible oil and fat compositions containing the oil and fat compositions of Examples 2 and 6 containing carotenoid decomposition products have an effect of enhancing the saltiness of the diluted noodle soup stock, compared to the edible oil and fat composition containing one of the raw red palm oils not heat-treated as Comparative Example 1. Therefore, it was revealed that the oil and fat compositions containing carotenoid decomposition products prepared by heat-treating red palm oil exhibit an effect of enhancing the saltiness, even when the content of the oil and fat compositions is reduced to 5 mass ppm in the diluted noodle soup stock. Note that, for the diluted noodle soup stock of Preparation Example 2-3, which showed the greatest effect in this sensory evaluation, the amount of carotenoid decomposition products per 1 mass part of salt was 5.3 x 10 ^-8 mass parts, calculated as the amount of carotenoids before decomposition.

[Test Example 3] (Evaluation with noodle soup part 3)
<Preparation of powdered oils and fats>
The oil and fat composition of Example 6 containing a carotenoid decomposition product prepared by heat-treating red palm oil was mixed with the raw materials shown in Table 6 and spray-dried to obtain a powdered oil and fat of Example 7. As a control, a powdered oil and fat of Comparative Example 2 was obtained in the same manner except that the oil and fat composition of Example 6 was not used.

<Preparation and evaluation of diluted noodle soup containing powdered oil>
The powdered oil prepared according to the composition shown in Table 6 was added to the diluted noodle soup in the composition shown in Table 7 and thoroughly stirred. The obtained diluted noodle soup containing powdered oil was subjected to a sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Test Example 1. As shown in Table 7, the sensory evaluation was performed by a panel of three experts, and instead of the control in Test Example 1, the diluted noodle soup containing powdered oil of Preparation Example 3-1 containing the powdered oil of Comparative Example 2 in Table 6 was used as a control.

As a result, as shown in Table 7, it was revealed that the powdered oil of Example 7, which contains carotenoid hydrolysates, has the effect of enhancing the saltiness of the diluted noodle soup stock, compared to the powdered oil of Comparison Example 2, which does not contain carotenoid hydrolysates.

[Test Example 4] (Evaluation with potage)
<Preparation and evaluation of potage>
The oil and fat compositions of Examples 2 and 6 prepared in Table 3 were added to rapeseed oil at 1% by mass to prepare edible oil and fat compositions, which were then added to potages in the proportions shown in Table 8, and a sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1. As shown in Table 8, the sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of three experts, and instead of the control in Test Example 1, the potage of Preparation Example 4-1 containing the edible oil and fat composition prepared by adding 1% by mass of Comparative Example 1 in Table 3 to rapeseed oil was used as the control.

As a result, as shown in Table 8, the oil and fat compositions containing carotenoid decomposition products had a salty taste enhancing effect in all potages. In particular, the salty taste enhancing effect was high in Preparation Example 4-3, which contained the oil and fat composition of Example 6 in Table 3, which showed a POV value of 56. Note that, for the potage of Preparation Example 4-3, the amount of carotenoid decomposition products per part by mass of salt was 2.6 x 10 ^-7 parts by mass, converted into the amount of carotenoids before decomposition.

[Test Example 5] (Evaluation with pasta)
<Preparation and evaluation of pasta>
An edible oil and fat composition was prepared by adding 1% by mass of the oil and fat composition of Example 6 prepared in Table 3 to rapeseed oil, and this was added to pasta in the formulation shown in Table 9, and a sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The pasta was prepared by mixing 100 g of pasta boiled in 1.5% saline, 7.5 g of olive oil, and 7.5 g of the oil and fat composition in the formulation shown in Table 9, so that the oil and fat composition was added at 652 ppm by mass. As shown in Table 9, the sensory evaluation was performed by a panel of three experts, and instead of the control in Test Example 1, the pasta of Preparation Example 5-1 containing the edible oil and fat composition prepared by adding 1% by mass of Comparative Example 1 in Table 3 to rapeseed oil was used as the control.

As a result, as shown in Table 9, the oil and fat composition containing the carotenoid degradation product had the effect of enhancing the saltiness of the pasta. Note that, for the pasta of Preparation Example 5-2, in which the effect was confirmed in this sensory evaluation, the amount of the carotenoid degradation product per 1 part by mass of salt was 1.6 x ^10-5 parts by mass, converted into the amount of carotenoid before degradation.

[Test Example 6] (Evaluation with noodle soup Part 4)
<Preparation of oxidized oil and fat with added carotenoid>
The rapeseed oil and medium chain triglyceride (hereinafter also referred to as "MCT") shown in Table 10 were used as base oils, and β-carotene or astaxanthin was added as a carotenoid to prepare the oxidation-treated products. Specifically, β-carotene or astaxanthin was added to the base oil at a predetermined content (ppm by mass), and the resulting mixture was heat-treated under each of the heat treatment conditions shown in Table 10 while stirring, to obtain the oxidation-treated products of Examples 8 to 13. As shown in Table 10, except for Example 9, the heat treatment was performed while blowing in a predetermined amount of air (0.2 L/min). In addition, one of the base oils that was not heat-treated was used as a control, Comparative Example 3.
The base oil used, the content of β-carotene or astaxanthin in the base oil, the heat treatment conditions, the amount of β-carotene or astaxanthin remaining after the heat treatment, and the temperature x time value are shown in Table 10. For Examples 8, 12, and 13, the base oil was heated at 120°C for 5 hours, and then further heated at 80°C for 5 hours.

As shown in Table 10, the amount of β-carotene or astaxanthin contained in the base oil was reduced by heat treatment, and by heating for a longer period of time or at a higher temperature, all of the β-carotene or astaxanthin in the base oil could be decomposed. Also, in Example 9, where no air was blown in, all of the β-carotene in the base oil could be decomposed.

<Preparation of edible fat and oil composition>
The oil and fat compositions of Examples 8 to 13 containing carotenoid decomposition products, which were prepared by adding a carotenoid to a base oil and subjecting the resulting oil and fat compositions to an oxidation treatment, were added to rapeseed oil at 1 mass % to prepare edible oil and fat compositions containing 0.3 to 282.13 mass ppm of carotenoid decomposition products, calculated as the amount of the carotenoid before the oxidation treatment. In addition, 1 mass % of Comparative Example 3, which is one of the base oils not subjected to heat treatment, was added to rapeseed oil as a control to prepare an edible oil and fat composition.

A sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1 for a diluted noodle soup prepared by adding the edible oil and fat composition prepared above in the ratio shown in Table 11. Specifically, the saltiness enhancing effect when the diluted noodle soup obtained was eaten was evaluated using a diluted noodle soup to which an edible oil and fat composition containing one of the base oils that was not heat-treated was added as a control (Comparative Example 3). As shown in Table 11, the sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of three experts.

As a result, as shown in Table 11, it was revealed that the edible oil and fat compositions containing the oil and fat compositions of Examples 8 to 13 containing carotenoid decomposition products had an effect of enhancing the saltiness of the diluted noodle soup stock, compared to the edible oil and fat composition containing one of the base oils not heat-treated as Comparative Example 3. In particular, Preparation Example 6-7, which contained the edible oil and fat composition containing the oil and fat composition of Example 13 (see Table 10), had a high effect of enhancing the saltiness. Note that, for the diluted noodle soup stock of Preparation Example 6-7, which showed the greatest effect in this sensory evaluation, the amount of carotenoid decomposition products per 1 part by mass of salt was 1.5 x 10 ^-7 parts by mass, calculated as the amount of carotenoids before decomposition.

[Test Example 7] (Evaluation with noodle soup No. 5)
The oil and fat compositions of Examples 10 and 13 prepared in Table 10 were added to rapeseed oil at 0.1 mass % to prepare edible oil and fat compositions, which were then added to diluted noodle soup stock in the proportions shown in Table 12, and a sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1. As shown in Table 12, the sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of five experts, and instead of the control in Test Example 1, the diluted noodle soup stock of Preparation Example 7-1 containing the edible oil and fat composition prepared by adding 0.1 mass % of Comparative Example 3 in Table 10 to rapeseed oil was used as a control.

As a result, as shown in Table 12, it was revealed that the edible oil and fat compositions containing the oil and fat compositions of Examples 10 and 13 containing carotenoid decomposition products have an effect of enhancing the saltiness of the diluted noodle soup stock, compared to the edible oil and fat composition containing one of the base oils not heat-treated as Comparative Example 3. Therefore, it was revealed that the oil and fat compositions containing carotenoid decomposition products prepared by adding carotenoid to a base oil and heat-treating it exhibit a saltiness enhancing effect even when the content is reduced to 5 mass ppm in the diluted noodle soup stock. In addition, for the diluted noodle soup stock of Preparation Example 7-3, which was found to be the most effective in this sensory evaluation, the amount of carotenoid decomposition products per 1 mass part of salt was 1.5 x 10 ^-8 mass parts in terms of the amount of carotenoid before decomposition.

[Test Example 8] (Evaluation with potage)
The oil and fat compositions of Examples 9 and 13 prepared in Table 10 were added to rapeseed oil at 1 mass % to prepare edible oil and fat compositions, which were then added to potages in the proportions shown in Table 13, and a sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1. As shown in Table 13, the sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of three experts, and instead of the control in Test Example 1, the potage of Preparation Example 8-1 containing the edible oil and fat composition prepared by adding 1 mass % of Comparative Example 3 in Table 10 to rapeseed oil was used as the control.

As a result, as shown in Table 13, the oil and fat compositions containing carotenoid decomposition products had a salty taste enhancing effect in all potages. In particular, Preparation Example 8-3, which contained the edible oil and fat composition of Example 13 (see Table 10), had a high salty taste enhancing effect. Note that, for the potage of Preparation Example 8-3, the amount of carotenoid decomposition products per part by mass of salt was 7.0 x ^10-8 parts by mass, calculated as the amount of carotenoids before decomposition.

50 g of table salt was mixed with 7 mg of the oil and fat composition of Example 6 prepared in Table 3 to produce a salt composition.

Claims (14)

A salty taste enhancer for food containing a carotenoid decomposition product as an active ingredient,
The food is noodle soup, potage, or pasta,
The salty taste enhancer contains the carotenoid decomposition product in an amount of 1 ppm by mass or more and 40,000 ppm by mass or less in terms of the amount of carotenoid before decomposition,
The salty taste enhancer is used so that the carotenoid decomposition product is contained in the food in an amount of 1×10 ⁻⁶ ppm by mass or more and 10 ppm by mass or less , calculated as the amount of carotenoid before decomposition . The salty taste enhancer according to claim 1, wherein the carotenoid decomposition product is one or more decomposition products selected from the group consisting of carotene and xanthophyll. The salty taste enhancer according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the carotenoid decomposition product is a carotenoid thermal oxidative decomposition product. The salty taste enhancer according to claim 1 , which is in the form of an oil or fat composition. A method for producing a salty taste enhancer for food, comprising a step of oxidizing carotenoids in fats and oils to obtain a carotenoid decomposition product ,
The food is noodle soup, potage, or pasta,
The salty taste enhancer contains the carotenoid decomposition product in an amount of 1 ppm by mass or more and 40,000 ppm by mass or less in terms of the amount of carotenoid before decomposition,
The method for producing the salty taste enhancer, wherein the carotenoid decomposition product is contained in the food in an amount of 1 x 10-6 ppm by mass or more and 10 ppm by mass or less, calculated as the amount of carotenoid before ^{decomposition} . The method for producing the oil or fat according to claim 5 , wherein the oil or fat is obtained by a step of adding a carotenoid to a raw material oil or fat. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the oil is a palm-based oil having a total content of β-carotene and α-carotene of 50 ppm by mass or more and 2000 ppm by mass or less. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the oil or fat has an iodine value of 0 to 140 . The method according to any one of claims 5 to 8 , wherein the oxidation treatment is a treatment of oxidizing the fat or oil so that the peroxide value is 3 or more and 250 or less. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the oxidation treatment is performed by heat treatment at 50° C. or more and 220° C. or less for 0.1 hour or more and 240 hours or less. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the product of the heating temperature (°C) and the heating time (hours) is 20 or more and 20,000 or less. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the oxidation treatment is carried out by supplying oxygen. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising mixing the carotenoid degradation product with fats and oils. A method for enhancing the saltiness of a food, comprising adding a carotenoid decomposition product to the food,
The food is noodle soup, potage, or pasta,
The method for enhancing a salty taste comprises causing the food to contain the carotenoid decomposition product in an amount of 1×10 ⁻⁶ ppm by mass or more and 10 ppm by mass or less, calculated as the amount of carotenoid before decomposition .