JP2024162428A - Randomly interesterified oil and fat, and oil-in-water emulsion containing same, food and beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a material that can reduce off-flavors arising from foods and beverages.SOLUTION: It has been found that random transesterified oils and fats with a specific fatty acid composition, or an oil-in-water emulsion containing the random transesterified oils and fats can reduce off-flavors arising from foods and beverages. Particularly, they have been shown to be effective against off-flavors derived from the heating process.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to randomly interesterified oils and fats, oil-in-water emulsions containing the same, and foods and beverages containing them.

Many foods and beverages have off-flavors that are perceived as unpleasant when eaten. These off-flavors can come from the raw materials of the food or beverage, or can arise from the heat treatment process in the manufacturing process. For example, heat treatment of foods and beverages can cause the proteins and fats contained in the food or beverage to deteriorate, resulting in off-flavors. There is a demand for technology to improve these.

Patent Document 1 discloses that an oil-in-water emulsion containing a specific oil composition and lactose suppresses heat deterioration odor. Patent Document 2 discloses an oil-in-water emulsion that maintains milk flavor while suppressing heat deterioration odor derived from milk fat and milk protein.

JP 2023-27710 A JP 2022-29080 A

Both Patent Documents 1 and 2 show the effect of suppressing heat deterioration odors. However, the technology is basically aimed at heat deterioration odors derived from animal ingredients, and is intended to obtain a good cream or milk flavor, but there is no suggestion for suppressing off-flavors that arise from ingredients other than animal ingredients.

In light of this situation, the objective of the present invention is to provide a material that can suppress off-flavors that arise from food and beverages.

The inventors of the present invention conducted extensive research to solve the above problems and discovered that randomly transesterified oils and fats having a specific fatty acid composition, or oil-in-water emulsions containing the randomly transesterified oils and fats, suppress off-flavors generated from foods and beverages, leading to the completion of the present invention. In particular, they found that the invention is effective against off-flavors derived from the heat treatment process.

That is, the present invention provides
<1> A randomly interesterified oil or fat for water-containing food or beverage, which satisfies all of the following (1) and (2):
(1) The randomly transesterified oil and fat for use in a water-containing food or beverage according to (1), which contains a lauric oil and fat as a raw oil and fat for the randomly transesterified oil and fat; (2) the content of lauric acid in the constituent fatty acid composition is 35 to 80% by mass; <2> and further satisfies (3);
(3) A water-containing food or beverage containing the random interesterified oil or fat for water-containing food or beverage according to <3><1> or <2>, in which the mass ratio of the total content of saturated fatty acids having 12 and 14 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition to the total content of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 10 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition is 4 to 15;
<4> An oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oil for water-containing food and beverage according to <1> or <2>,
<5> A water-containing food or drink containing the oil-in-water emulsion according to <4>.
<6> A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage containing the random interesterified oil or fat for water-containing food or beverage according to <1> or <2>,
<7> A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage, comprising the randomly interesterified oil or fat for water-containing food or beverage according to <1> or <2> and carrying out a heat treatment step;
<8> A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage, comprising preparing an oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oil for water-containing food or beverage according to <1> or <2> in an oil phase, and blending the oil-in-water emulsion;
<9> A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage, comprising preparing an oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oil for water-containing food or beverage according to <1> or <2> in an oil phase, blending the oil-in-water emulsion, and carrying out a heat treatment step;
<10> A method for suppressing an unpleasant flavor in a water-containing food or beverage by using the random interesterified oil or fat for water-containing food or beverage according to <1> or <2>,
<11> A method for suppressing an off-flavor of a water-containing food or beverage by using the oil-in-water emulsion according to <4>,
This is regarding.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide water-containing food and beverage products that suppress off-flavors inherent in the food and beverage products. In particular, it is possible to obtain beverages and cooked and processed foods that have a good flavor.

The present invention will be specifically described below.
In addition, when an upper limit and a lower limit of a numerical range are shown in this specification, the upper limit and the lower limit can be appropriately combined, and the numerical range obtained by combining them is also considered to be disclosed.

The off-flavor in the present invention is a general term for unpleasant flavors felt when eating various water-containing foods and beverages. Specific examples include bitterness, astringency, and bitterness derived from the raw materials of the water-containing foods and beverages, as well as deterioration odors and stuffy odors caused by heat treatment processes such as sterilization. In particular, the present invention is particularly effective against off-flavors generated by heat treatment processes.
In the present invention, the term "water-containing food and drink" refers to a food and drink containing 0.1% by mass or more of water in the food and drink. More preferably, the water content is 1% by mass or more, 3% by mass or more, or 5% by mass or more. There is no particular limitation on the origin of the water, and the water may be, for example, water used in the raw materials or water contained in the raw materials themselves. More preferably, the water is derived from an oil-in-water emulsion. By including the randomly transesterified oil of the present invention in the water-containing food and drink, the off-flavor derived from the water-containing food and drink can be suppressed. Furthermore, by including an oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oil in the water-containing food and drink, the off-flavor can be further suppressed.

The present invention can suppress off-flavors derived from water-containing foods and beverages by adding a randomly interesterified oil or fat for water-containing foods and beverages that satisfies both of the following (1) and (2) to the water-containing foods and beverages.
(1) The randomly interesterified oil contains a lauric oil as a raw material for the oil.
(2) The fatty acid composition contains lauric acid at 35 to 80% by mass.

The "lauric fat" in (1) of the present invention refers to fats and oils that contain lauric acid as a major constituent fatty acid. Specifically, examples of such fats and oils include palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and fats and oils that have been subjected to one or more processes such as fractionation, hardening, and transesterification of one or more of palm kernel oil and coconut oil. As a fat and oil raw material containing lauric fats and oils, other fats and oils may be mixed in addition to lauric fats and oils. In such a case, the lauric fats and oils can be blended in an amount of, for example, 80% by mass or more, more preferably 85% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. Note that the fat and oil raw material for random transesterification fats and oils in the present invention can be various fats and oils other than lauric fats and oils as long as they contain the above-mentioned lauric fats and oils as an essential constituent.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the oil and fat raw material containing lauric oil and fat is the above-mentioned lauric oil and fat alone. This makes it possible to obtain a water-containing food and beverage in which the off-flavors derived from the water-containing food and beverage of the present invention are efficiently suppressed.

In the present invention, "random interesterification" refers to a processing method in which fatty acids bound to fats and oils are randomly interesterified using a catalyst. Examples of the catalyst used in the present invention include chemical catalysts such as sodium methylate, and lipases having random interesterification activity. When using lipase, commercially available lipases can be used, and any type of lipase can be used as long as it has random interesterification activity.

The randomly transesterified oils and fats of the present invention contain (2) 35 to 80% by mass of lauric acid. The lower limit of this amount is preferably 40% by mass or more, 41% by mass or more, 43% by mass or more, or 45% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 75% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 65% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 58% by mass or less, or 55% by mass or less. By having an appropriate lauric acid content, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage that suppresses off-flavors derived from the food or beverage. Note that the randomly transesterified oils and fats of the present invention are produced by random transesterification, and therefore, the oil and fat raw material to be subjected to random transesterification must also contain 35 to 80% by mass of lauric acid.

In the random interesterified oil of the present invention, (3) the mass ratio of the total content of saturated fatty acids having 12 and 14 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition to the total content of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 10 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition is preferably 4 to 15. More preferably, the lower limit is 5 or more, 5.5 or more, 6 or more, 6.5 or more, 7 or more, or 7.5 or more. More preferably, the upper limit is 14 or less, 13.5 or less, 13 or less, or 12.5 or less. By having an appropriate mass ratio of the total content of saturated fatty acids having 12 and 14 carbon atoms to the total content of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage in which off-flavors derived from the food or beverage are suppressed.

In the random interesterified oil of the present invention, the total content of CN38 to CN46 in the total triglycerides is preferably 48% by mass or more. More preferably, the lower limit of this amount is 50% by mass or more, 52% by mass or more, 55% by mass or more, 59% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more. More preferably, the upper limit is 75% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 68% by mass or less, 65% by mass or less, or 64% by mass or less. By having an appropriate total content of CN38 to CN46 in the total triglycerides, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage that suppresses off-flavors derived from the food or beverage. Note that CN38 to CN46 in the total triglycerides refers to triglycerides in which the total number of carbon atoms of the constituent fatty acids of the triglycerides in the oil or fat is 38 to 46.

In the random interesterified oil of the present invention, the total content of saturated fatty acids having 16 and 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition is preferably 20% by mass or less. More preferably, the upper limit is 18% by mass or less, 17% by mass or less, or 16% by mass or less. More preferably, the lower limit is 1% by mass or more, 2% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, or 8% by mass or more. By having an appropriate total content of saturated fatty acids having 16 and 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition of the random interesterified oil, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage in which off-flavors derived from the food or beverage are suppressed.

In the randomly transesterified oil of the present invention, the content of saturated fatty acids having 22 or more carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition is preferably 0.5% by mass or less. More preferably, it is 0.4% by mass or less, or 0.3% by mass or less. By having an appropriate content of saturated fatty acids having 22 or more carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition of the randomly transesterified oil, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage that suppresses off-flavors derived from the food or beverage.

In the random interesterified oil of the present invention, the mass ratio of CN36/CN42 in the total triglycerides is preferably 0.5 to 2. More preferably, the lower limit of this amount is 0.6 or more, 0.7 or more, 0.75 or more, 0.8 or more, or 0.85 or more. More preferably, the upper limit is 1.8 or less, 1.5 or less, 1.3 or less, 1.2 or less, 1.1 or less, or 1 or less. By having an appropriate mass ratio of CN36/CN42 in the total triglycerides, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage that suppresses off-flavors derived from the food or beverage. Note that CN36 or CN42 in the total triglycerides refers to triglycerides in which the total number of carbon atoms of the constituent fatty acids of the triglycerides in the oil or fat is 36, or triglycerides in which the total number of carbon atoms is 42.

The randomly interesterified oil of the present invention preferably has a CN36 content of less than 18% by mass relative to the total triglycerides. This amount is more preferably 17.5% by mass or less, or 17% by mass or less. The lower limit is more preferably 5% by mass or more, 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more. By having an appropriate CN36 content relative to the total triglycerides, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage that suppresses off-flavors derived from the food or beverage.

In a preferred embodiment of the randomly interesterified oil of the present invention, medium-chain fatty acid-bonded oil (MCT) may not be used as the oil raw material for the randomly interesterified oil.

In a preferred embodiment of the random interesterified oil of the present invention, palm-based oils and fats may not be used as the oil and fat raw material of the random interesterified oil and fat. By not using palm-based oils and fats as the oil and fat raw material, the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from water-containing foods and beverages can be more effectively obtained. The palm-based oil and fat referred to here includes one or more types selected from palm oil and oils and fats that have been subjected to one or more processes selected from fractionation, hardening, and interesterification of palm oil.

In a preferred embodiment of the random interesterified oil of the present invention, the total content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms is 30% by mass or less. More preferably, the upper limit is 27% by mass or less, 25% by mass or less, 22% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or less. Also, more preferably, the lower limit is 2% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 8% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more. By having an appropriate total content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms, the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from foods and beverages can be more effectively obtained.

The hydrous food and beverage of the present invention preferably contains 0.02% by mass or more of the randomly transesterified oil and fat. More preferably, the lower limit is 0.05% by mass or more, 0.1% by mass or more, 0.5% by mass or more, 0.8% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, 1.5% by mass or more, 2% by mass or more, or 2.5% by mass or more. Also more preferably, the upper limit is 20% by mass or less, 15% by mass or less, 13% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. By appropriately adjusting the content of the randomly transesterified oil and fat in the food and beverage, a hydrous food and beverage can be obtained in which the off-flavors derived from the hydrous food and beverage are suppressed.

The present invention is also an invention of an oil-in-water emulsion containing randomly transesterified oils and fats that meets both of the following (1) and (2). By adding the above-mentioned oil-in-water emulsion containing randomly transesterified oils and fats to a water-containing food or drink, a water-containing food or drink that suppresses the off-flavor derived from the water-containing food or drink can be obtained. As described above, the same effect can be obtained by directly adding the randomly transesterified oils and fats to a water-containing food or drink, but the same effect can be obtained more efficiently by adding the oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oils and fats to a water-containing food or drink.
(1) The randomly interesterified oil contains a lauric oil as a raw material for the oil.
(2) The fatty acid composition contains lauric acid at 35 to 80% by mass.
The details of the randomly interesterified oil contained in the oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention are as described above.

(Oil-in-water emulsion)
The oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention contains the randomly transesterified oil. The oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oil can suppress the off-flavor derived from a water-containing food or drink containing the oil-in-water emulsion. An example of the embodiment is shown below, but is not limited to these. The oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oil can suppress the off-flavor derived from a water-containing food or drink when it is added to the water-containing food or drink.

The oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention preferably contains the randomly transesterified oil in an amount of 0.2% by mass or more in the oil phase of the emulsion. More preferably, the lower limit is 0.4% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, 1.5% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more. By containing an appropriate amount of the randomly transesterified oil in the oil-in-water emulsion, it is possible to obtain a water-containing food or beverage that suppresses off-flavors derived from the food or beverage.

In the oil phase of the oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention, various oils and fats can be used as long as the random transesterified oils and fats are contained in a specified amount or more, without impairing the effects of the present invention. Examples of oils and fats that can be used include palm oil, rapeseed oil, high erucic rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, soybean oil, rice oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, safflower oil, olive oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, MCT, shea fat, monkey fat and other vegetable oils and fats, milk fat, beef tallow, lard, fish oil, whale oil and other animal oils and fats, algae oil, oils and fats derived from microbial fermentation, as well as processed oils and fats obtained by fractionation, hydrogenation, transesterification, etc., and further mixed oils and fats thereof.
The amount of the oil phase in the oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the ratio of the oil phase to the water phase is, for example, from 1:99 to 65:35, more preferably from 5:95 to 60:40, or from 10:90 to 55:45.

(Method for producing oil-in-water emulsion)
The method for producing the oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention will be described below. The oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention can be obtained by preparing an oil phase in which fats and oils and/or oil-soluble components are mixed, and an aqueous phase in which water and/or water-soluble components are mixed, and then mixing them to form an oil-in-water emulsion.
For example, an aqueous phase is prepared by adding an aqueous component, a water-soluble emulsifier, and optionally a pH adjuster to water or warm water, stirring the mixture, and dissolving or dispersing the aqueous component. Separately, an oil-soluble component, an oil-soluble emulsifier, and the like are added to an oil and fat to prepare a mixture. The oil phase thus prepared is added to the aqueous phase to perform preliminary emulsification. This is then homogenized, preferably at a pressure of 0 to 100 MPa, using a homogenizing device such as a valve homogenizer, homomixer, or colloid mill. Then, if necessary, heat sterilization or heat pasteurization treatment such as UHT, HTST, low-temperature pasteurization, batch, retort, or microwave heating using a direct heating method such as an injection method or an infusion method, or an indirect heating method such as a plate method, a tubular method, or a scraping method may be performed.
This may be further homogenized preferably at a pressure of 0 to 100 MPa using a homogenizing device such as a valve homogenizer, a homomixer, or a colloid mill. If necessary, the emulsion may be subjected to a cooling procedure such as rapid cooling or slow cooling. The oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention may be stored in a refrigerated or frozen state, if necessary.

The oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention can be blended with auxiliary ingredients as necessary. For example, dairy ingredients (raw milk, raw milk, skim concentrated milk, skim milk powder, fresh cream, butter, etc.), carbohydrate sweeteners (sugar, starch syrup, fructose, glucose, sugar alcohol, trehalose, etc.), stabilizers (guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, carrageenan, sodium alginate, CMC, water-soluble cellulose, gelatin, pectin, etc.), starch (starch derived from grains such as rice, wheat, and rice, starch derived from corn, starch derived from potatoes such as potato and tapioca, or processed starches or modified starches thereof), emulsifiers ( These include lecithin, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, etc.), salt, flavorings, colorings, acidulants, flavoring ingredients (coffee, cocoa, tea, chocolate ingredients, fruit juice, fruit pulp, nuts and seeds, honey, maple syrup, alcoholic beverages, etc.), and various nutrients (proteins, amino acids, dietary fibers such as polydextrose, inulin, and resistant dextrin, vitamins, minerals, etc.).

The oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention may be designed to contain only vegetable ingredients without the inclusion of dairy ingredients. Examples of vegetable ingredients include beans such as soybeans, peas, broad beans, and chickpeas, seeds such as almonds, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, walnuts, peanuts, and pistachios, and grains such as rice and oats. These may also be mixed in an appropriate ratio and used.

(Water-containing food and drink)
The water-containing food and drink according to the present invention is not particularly limited in form, and can be used in the form of beverages such as cafe latte, milk tea, soy milk and other vegetable milks and soft drinks, confectioneries such as pudding, bavarois, jelly, whitener, whipped cream and fillings, fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese and fermented drinks, processed foods for cooking such as seasonings, sauces, soups, hot pot soup bases, stews, white sauces, retort foods, fried foods, fish paste products, and poultry, animal and fish meat products.

In one embodiment, the water-containing food and drink is preferably designed with vegetable ingredients and does not contain animal ingredients.

In one embodiment, the water-containing food or beverage is preferably a cooked, processed food or beverage.

In one embodiment, the water-containing food or drink containing a heat treatment step is preferred. The "heat treatment step" in the present invention refers to the general heat treatment carried out during the manufacture of the water-containing food or drink. The heat treatment step may cause deterioration of the water-containing food or drink. For example, unpleasant off-flavors, such as retort odor or muffled odor, may occur when the water-containing food or drink is eaten. The oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly transesterified oil of the present invention has the characteristic of suppressing off-flavors by adding it to the water-containing food or drink.
The heat treatment step is not particularly limited as long as it is heated. For example, UHT, HTST, low-temperature sterilization using a direct heating method such as an injection type or an infusion type, or an indirect heating method such as a plate type, a tubular type, or a scraping type, or heat sterilization or heat sterilization treatment such as a batch type, a retort, or a microwave heating method, etc., can be mentioned. The heat sterilization treatment when filling the water-containing food or drink into a container is also included in the heat treatment step. Specifically, there is a method in which the water-containing food or drink is heat sterilized in advance and then filled into a container (for example, a method using UHT sterilization and aseptic filling in combination), a method in which the water-containing food or drink is filled into a container and then heat sterilized together with the container (for example, retort sterilization), etc. In one embodiment, the heat sterilization treatment step is more preferable. In another embodiment, the heating temperature in the heat treatment step is preferably 45 to 170°C. More preferably, it is 50 to 150°C. The treatment time is 1 second to 120 minutes. The heat treatment method, heating temperature, and treatment method can be appropriately set according to the purpose of heating to perform the heat treatment.

The hydrous food or beverage according to the present invention preferably contains 0.5% by mass or more of the oil-in-water emulsion. More preferably, the lower limit is 1% by mass or more, 1.5% by mass or more, or 1.8% by mass or more. Also more preferably, the upper limit is 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. By having an appropriate content of the oil-in-water emulsion in the food or beverage, it is possible to obtain a hydrous food or beverage in which the off-flavors inherent in the hydrous food or beverage are suppressed.

(Example)
Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples. In the following, "parts" and "%" are based on mass unless otherwise specified.

The methods for analyzing the fats and oils used in the present invention were as follows.
(Method of measuring fatty acid composition)
The fatty acid composition was measured in accordance with AOCS Official Method Ce 1h-05.
(Method for measuring triglyceride composition (total carbon number))
The triglyceride composition (total carbon number) was measured in accordance with the Standard Method for Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials, 2.4.6 Triacylglycerol Composition (Gas Chromatography) established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society.

(Study 1) Preparation of oils and fats to be studied The oils and fats to be studied were prepared by the following method. The compositions of the oils and fats to be studied are shown in Table 1. Palm mid-melting point oil "Palm 26" (melting point 26°C, manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) was used.

(Randomly Interesterified Oil and Fat for Water-Containing Food and Beverages Comparative Example 1 and Example 1)
Randomly interesterified oil for water-containing foods and beverages Comparative Example 1 was palm kernel oil ("Refined Palm Kernel Oil" manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.).
In Example 1, 0.2 parts by mass of sodium methylate was added as a catalyst to 100 parts by mass of Comparative Example 1 to carry out random ester exchange, and the oil was bleached and deodorized in the usual manner.

(Randomly Interesterified Oil and Fat for Water-Containing Food and Beverages Comparative Example 2 and Example 2)
Randomly interesterified oil for water-containing foods and beverages Comparative Example 2 was palm kernel low melting point oil ("PK Ace 200" manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.).
In Example 2, 0.2 parts by mass of sodium methylate was added as a catalyst to 100 parts by mass of Comparative Example 2 to carry out random ester exchange, and the oil was bleached and deodorized in the usual manner.

(Example 3 of Randomly Interesterified Oil for Water-Containing Food and Beverage)
In Example 3 of the randomly interesterified oil for hydrous foods and beverages, 0.2 parts by mass of sodium methylate was added as a catalyst to 100 parts by mass of severely hardened palm kernel oil ("Numeraline 38" manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) to carry out random interesterification, and the oil was then decolorized and deodorized in the usual manner.

(Example 4 of Randomly Interesterified Oil for Water-Containing Food and Beverage)
In Example 4, randomly interesterified oil and fat for hydrous food and beverages, 0.2 parts by mass of sodium methylate was added as a catalyst to 100 parts by mass of coconut oil ("Refined coconut oil" manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) to perform random interesterification, and the oil and fat were then decolorized and deodorized in the usual manner.

・Ｃ１２：０＋Ｃ１４：０／Ｃ６：０＋Ｃ８：０＋Ｃ１０：０（質量比）とは、炭素数１２と１４の飽和脂肪酸の合計含量／炭素数６～１０の飽和脂肪酸の合計含量の質量比を示す。
・Ｃ１６：０＋Ｃ１８：０とは、炭素数１６と１８の飽和脂肪酸の合計含量を示す。
・Ｃ１８：１＋Ｃ１８：２＋Ｃ１８：３とは、炭素数１８の不飽和脂肪酸（シス体、トランス体）の合計含量を示す。
・ＣＮ３８～ＣＮ４６合計とは、全トリグリセリドに占めるＣＮ３８～ＣＮ４６のトリグリセリドの合計含量を示す。
・ＣＮ３６／ＣＮ４２（質量比）とは、全トリグリセリドに占めるＣＮ３６／ＣＮ４２の質量比を示す。 (Table 1)

C12:0+C14:0/C6:0+C8:0+C10:0 (mass ratio) indicates the mass ratio of the total content of saturated fatty acids having 12 and 14 carbon atoms to the total content of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 10 carbon atoms.
- C16:0 + C18:0 indicates the total content of saturated fatty acids with 16 and 18 carbon atoms.
C18:1 + C18:2 + C18:3 indicates the total content of unsaturated fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms (cis and trans isomers).
- CN38 to CN46 total indicates the total content of triglycerides of CN38 to CN46 in total triglycerides.
- CN36/CN42 (mass ratio) indicates the mass ratio of CN36/CN42 in total triglycerides.

(Study 2) Preparation of retort curry Retort curry was prepared according to the recipe in Tables 2-1 and 2-2, using the method for preparing retort curry. The retort curry with the recipe in Table 2-2 is a vegetable-based retort curry that does not contain any animal ingredients.
The resulting retort curry was evaluated according to the method of "○ Evaluation of flavor of retort curry." The evaluation results are shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2.

○ Method for preparing retort curry According to the composition in Table 2-1, refined lard, the examined oil and fat, and wheat flour were placed in a frying pan and heated while stirring until colored. This mixture was cooled while stirring until the product temperature reached about 110°C. Curry powder, salt, seasonings, and sugar were added in that order, and further stirred and mixed to obtain a curry roux. The curry roux and water were stirred and mixed, packed into a retort pouch (50g/bag), sealed, and heat sterilized at 121°C for 30 minutes.
The vegetable retort curry having the composition shown in Table 2-2 was prepared according to the above-mentioned preparation method, except that refined lard was not used.

Flavor Evaluation of Retort Curry The retort-sterilized curry was boiled at 60° C. and subjected to flavor evaluation.
The flavor evaluation was carried out by five experienced panelists engaged in the research and development of fat and oil materials. The flavor evaluation was carried out to evaluate the effect of suppressing the generation of off-flavors derived from heat treatment as off-flavors derived from foods and beverages. Using the retort curry of Reference Example 1-1 or Reference Example 1-2 as the standard, the evaluation was carried out according to the following evaluation points and judged by consensus. A score of 3 or more was considered to be a pass, and the results are shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2.
5 points: Very weak off-flavor.
4 points: The off-flavor was quite weak.
3 points: A slightly weak off-flavor.
2 points: equivalent to the control.
1 point: Off-flavor stronger than control.

(Table 2-1)

(Table 2-2)

In comparison with the flavor of the retort curry of Reference Example 1-1, the retort curry containing the randomly transesterified oils and fats for water-containing foods and beverages Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which were not subjected to transesterification, had a similar off-flavor to that of Reference Example 1-1 (Comparative Examples 1-1 and 1-2). On the other hand, the retort curry containing the randomly transesterified oils and fats for water-containing foods and beverages Examples 1 to 4, which were subjected to transesterification, had a reduced off-flavor compared to the flavor of Reference Example 1-1 (Examples 1-1 to 1-5). In particular, the off-flavor reduction effect was strong when the ingredients of Examples 1 and 4 were used (Examples 1-1, 1-2, and 1-5).
The same tendency as that of the vegetable retort curry having the composition shown in Table 2-1 was observed (Table 2-2).

(Study 3) Preparation of oil-in-water emulsion for cooking cream An oil-in-water emulsion for white sauce was prepared as a cooking cream. The preparation method was the method described in "Preparation method 1 for oil-in-water emulsion" and an oil-in-water emulsion was obtained according to the composition in Table 3.

Method 1 for preparing oil-in-water emulsion
Each oil was melted by heating, and an oil-soluble emulsifier was added thereto and mixed and dissolved to obtain an oil phase. Separately, milk protein, a water-soluble emulsifier, and a pH adjuster were dissolved in warm water to obtain an aqueous phase. The oil phase and aqueous phase were mixed in an emulsification tank, pre-emulsified, homogenized, and then sterilized (140-150°C for 3-12 seconds) using an ultra-high temperature sterilizer, and cooled to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion.
・Oil-soluble emulsifier: Glycerol fatty acid ester with HLB 6-9
Water-soluble emulsifier: Sucrose fatty acid ester with HLB of 13 to 16 pH adjuster: Sodium citrate

(Table 3)

(Study 4) Preparation of cooking cream (white sauce) White sauce was prepared using the oil-in-water emulsion obtained in Study 3. The preparation method was the method described in "○ Preparation method of white sauce", and a white sauce was obtained according to the recipe in Table 4.
The obtained white sauce was evaluated according to the method of "○ Evaluation of the flavor of white sauce." The evaluation results are shown in Table 4.

Preparation of white sauce Wheat flour was added to bechamel sauce dissolved at 40°C and mixed, then the oil-in-water emulsion obtained in Study 3 and water were added and mixed, and finally salt was added and mixed. This was placed in a pot and heated until it thickened (product temperature 70-100°C) to obtain a white sauce.
・Bechamel sauce: Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. "Bechamel Sauce FB" (contains 45% butter and 55% wheat flour)

Flavor Evaluation of White Sauce The obtained white sauce was put into a pouch and subjected to retort sterilization (121° C., 30 minutes), and then boiled at 60° C. for flavor evaluation.
The flavor evaluation was carried out by six experienced panelists engaged in the research and development of cream ingredients. The flavor evaluation was carried out based on the effect of suppressing the generation of off-flavors derived from heat treatment as off-flavors derived from food and drink. Using Reference Example 2-1 as the standard, the evaluation was carried out according to the following evaluation points, and a decision was made by consensus. A score of 3 or more was considered to be a pass, and the results are shown in Table 4.
5 points: Very weak off-flavor.
4 points: The off-flavor was quite weak.
3 points: A slightly weak off-flavor.
2 points: equivalent to the control.
1 point: Off-flavor stronger than control.

(Table 4)

(result)
In comparison with the white sauce of Reference Example 2-1, the off-flavor was reduced in the white sauce using oil-in-water emulsions Examples 1 to 4 containing the random interesterified oils and fats for hydrous foods and beverages Examples 1 to 3 that had been subjected to interesterification (Examples 2-1 to 2-4). In particular, the off-flavor was significantly reduced in the oil-in-water emulsion containing the random interesterified oils and fats for hydrous foods and beverages Example 1, and the off-flavor was very weak in Example 2-1. On the other hand, the off-flavor was felt to be equivalent to that of Reference Example 2-1 in the white sauce using oil-in-water emulsion 4 containing the random interesterified oils and fats for hydrous foods and beverages Comparative Example 2 that had not been subjected to interesterification (Comparative Example 2-1).

(Study 5) Preparation of oil-in-water emulsion for beverages An oil-in-water emulsion for beverages was prepared. The preparation method was the method of "Preparation method 2 of oil-in-water emulsion", and an oil-in-water emulsion was obtained according to the formulation in Table 5.

Method 2 for preparing oil-in-water emulsion
Each fat was heated and melted to obtain an oil phase. Separately, skim milk powder, sugar, an emulsifier, and a pH adjuster were dissolved in warm water to obtain an aqueous phase. The oil phase and aqueous phase were mixed in an emulsification tank, pre-emulsified, homogenized, and then sterilized with an ultra-high temperature sterilizer (140-150°C for 3-12 seconds), homogenized again, and cooled to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion.
Emulsifier: Sucrose fatty acid ester with HLB 5-8 and polyglycerin fatty acid ester with HLB 11-13 pH adjuster: Sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate

(Table 5)

(Study 6) Preparation of beverages A caffe latte beverage was prepared as a beverage. The preparation method was the method of "○ Preparation method of caffe latte beverage", and a caffe latte beverage was obtained according to the composition in Table 6.
The obtained caffe latte beverage was evaluated according to the method of "Taste evaluation of caffe latte beverage". The evaluation results are shown in Table 6.

Method for preparing a caffe latte beverage While stirring hot water with a homogenizer, sugar, emulsifier, and skim milk powder were added, and the oil-in-water emulsion prepared in Study 5 and, if necessary, Example 1 of randomly transesterified oil for water-containing foods and beverages were added thereto, and finally, a pH adjuster was mixed with the coffee extract and then added and mixed. After thorough blending while controlling the temperature, the mixture was homogenized, filled into cans, and then retort sterilized (121°C, 30 minutes) to obtain a caffe latte beverage. After sterilization, the mixture was stored in a refrigerator.
Emulsifier: "Ryoto CP-Y040" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
・pH adjuster: baking soda

Flavor evaluation of caffe latte beverages Packaged caffe latte beverages were used. Flavor evaluation was carried out by six experienced panelists engaged in research and development of beverage products.
The flavor evaluation was carried out to evaluate the effect of suppressing the generation of off-flavors derived from heat treatment as off-flavors derived from food and drink. After retort sterilization, the samples were stored in a refrigerator (5°C) and tasted. Using Reference Example 3-1 as the standard, the evaluation was carried out according to the following evaluation points and judged by consensus. Evaluation points of 3 or more were considered to be acceptable, and the results are shown in Table 6.
5 points: Very weak off-flavor.
4 points: The off-flavor was quite weak.
3 points: A slightly weak off-flavor.
2 points: equivalent to the control.
1 point: Off-flavor stronger than control.

Table 6

(result)
In comparison with the caffe latte beverage of Reference Example 3-1, the off-flavor was reduced in the caffe latte beverage using the oil-in-water emulsions of Examples 5 and 6, which were blended with the randomly transesterified oils and fats of Example 1 and Example 4 for hydrous food and beverages that had been subjected to transesterification (Examples 3-1 and 3-2).
For the caffe latte beverage of Reference Example 3-1, even when the random interesterified oil for water-containing foods and beverages Example 1 was directly blended into the caffe latte beverage, a sufficient off-flavor suppressing effect was observed. The caffe latte beverages of Examples 3-1 and 3-3 contained the same amount of the random interesterified oil for water-containing foods and beverages Example 1, but the off-flavor suppressing effect tended to be stronger when the random interesterified oil was incorporated into an oil-in-water emulsion and then blended into the food and beverage than when the random interesterified oil was directly blended into the food and beverage.

(Study 7) Preparation of oil-in-water emulsion for vegetable cooking cream An oil-in-water emulsion for vegetable cooking cream was prepared. The preparation method was the method of "○ Preparation method 3 for oil-in-water emulsion", and an oil-in-water emulsion was obtained according to the composition in Table 7.

Method 3 for preparing oil-in-water emulsion
Each oil was melted by heating, and an oil-soluble emulsifier was added and mixed to obtain the oil phase. Oat saccharification liquid, a water-soluble emulsifier, and a pH adjuster were dissolved in warm water to obtain the water phase. The oil and water phases were mixed in an emulsification tank, pre-emulsified, and homogenized, and then sterilized (140-150°C for 3-12 seconds) using an ultra-high temperature sterilizer and cooled to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion.
・Oil-soluble emulsifier: Glycerol fatty acid ester with HLB 6-9
- Water-soluble emulsifier: Sucrose fatty acid ester with HLB of 13 to 16
・pH adjuster: sodium citrate

Table 7

(Study 8) Study of vegetable cooking cream (white sauce) A vegetable white sauce was prepared according to the recipe in Table 8. The preparation method was the same as that described in Study 4, "○ Method for preparing white sauce," except that the bechamel sauce was changed to the following:
・Bechamel sauce: Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. "Bechamel Sauce VG" (containing 70% wheat flour and 30% vegetable oil)

Evaluation of Flavor of Cooking Cream The flavor of the cooking cream was evaluated using Reference Example 4-1 as the standard and in the same manner as in Study 4. The results are shown in Table 9.

Table 8

(result)
Even in the case of the plant-based white sauce containing no animal ingredients, Example 4-1 had a very weak off-flavor.

(Study 9) Preparation of oil-in-water emulsion for vegetable beverages An oil-in-water emulsion for vegetable beverages was prepared. The preparation method was the method described in "Preparation method 2 for oil-in-water emulsions" and an oil-in-water emulsion was obtained according to the formulation in Table 9.

Table 9

(Study 10) Preparation of plant-based beverage A caffe latte beverage was prepared as a beverage. The preparation method was the method of "○ Preparation method of plant-based caffe latte beverage", and a caffe latte beverage was obtained according to the composition in Table 10.
The obtained caffe latte beverage was evaluated according to the method of "Flavor evaluation of caffe latte beverage" in Study 6, with Reference Example 5-1 as the standard. The evaluation results are shown in Table 10.

Preparation method of vegetable-based caffe latte beverage Sugar was added to hot water while stirring with a homogenizer, and then oil-in-water emulsion 12 or 13 and emulsifier were added in this order, and finally pH adjuster was added after mixing with coffee extract. After thorough blending while controlling the temperature, it was homogenized, filled into cans, and retort sterilized (121°C, 30 minutes) to prepare vegetable-based caffe latte beverage. After sterilization, it was stored in a refrigerator.
Emulsifier: "Ryoto CP-Y040" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
・pH adjuster: baking soda

(Table 10)

(result)
In the caffe latte beverages containing no animal ingredients, Example 5-1 had a significantly weaker off-flavor than Reference Example 5-1.

According to the present invention, an oil-in-water emulsion containing a randomly transesterified oil having a specific composition or the transesterified oil can be added to food and beverage products such as beverages and processed foods for cooking to suppress the generation of off-flavors from the food and beverage products.

Claims (11)

A randomly interesterified oil or fat for use in water-containing food or beverages, which satisfies both of the following (1) and (2):
(1) A lauric oil is contained as a raw material for the randomly interesterified oil. (2) The content of lauric acid in the constituent fatty acid composition is 35 to 80% by mass. The randomly interesterified oil for water-containing foods and beverages according to claim 1, further satisfying (3).
(3) The mass ratio of the total content of saturated fatty acids having 12 and 14 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition to the total content of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 10 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition is 4 to 15. A hydrous food or beverage containing the randomly interesterified oil or fat for hydrous food or beverage according to claim 1 or 2. An oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly interesterified oil for water-containing foods and beverages according to claim 1 or 2. A water-containing food or drink containing the oil-in-water emulsion according to claim 4. A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage containing the randomly interesterified oil or fat for water-containing food or beverage according to claim 1 or 2. A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage, comprising the randomly interesterified oil or fat for water-containing food or beverage according to claim 1 or 2, and carrying out a heat treatment process. A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage, comprising preparing an oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly interesterified oil for water-containing food or beverage according to claim 1 or 2 in the oil phase, and blending the oil-in-water emulsion. A method for producing a water-containing food or beverage, comprising preparing an oil-in-water emulsion containing the randomly interesterified oil for water-containing food or beverage according to claim 1 or 2 in the oil phase, blending the oil-in-water emulsion, and carrying out a heat treatment process. A method for suppressing off-flavors in hydrous foods and beverages using the randomly interesterified oil for hydrous foods and beverages described in claim 1 or 2. A method for suppressing off-flavors in water-containing foods and beverages using the oil-in-water emulsion described in claim 4.