JP2005073588A - Saponin containing oral product and method for reducing unpleasant taste of saponin - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an excellent general-purpose method by which the unpleasant taste derived from saponin can be easily reduced, and which is utilizable in wide products; and to provide the product having reduced unpleasant taste of the saponin. <P>SOLUTION: The saponin-containing oral product having the reduced unpleasant taste is obtained by adding glucose and/or erythritol, in combination with trehalose and/or maltose together with the saponin. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a method for reducing the peculiar unpleasant taste of saponin and an oral product containing saponin.

Saponin is a glycoside component distributed in plants, and its physiological effects include anti-oxidation, anti-HIV activity, lipid metabolism improvement, and sugar absorption suppression, and it is also used for health foods. It's getting on. However, saponins have unpleasant tastes such as peculiar bitterness and astringency, and have a problem in flavor when used in oral products such as foods. When they are added to foods and drinks, the original flavors of the foods and drinks are significantly impaired. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to harmonize the flavor, and widespread use is hindered.

As methods for improving the unpleasant taste of saponin, fermentation treatment with microorganisms (Patent Document 1) and a method of using saponins and amino acids in combination (Patent Document 2) have been reported. This method needs to be performed at the time of preparing the material, and is not a method that can be used when preparing the final food. In addition, the combination method with the latter amino acid has a drawback that a flavor peculiar to an amino acid is produced and it cannot be said that the flavor improvement method is versatile.

In general, for substances having a bitter taste, a method of adding a saccharide having a sweet taste or a high-intensity sweetener and reducing the bitter taste by sweetness is commonly used. For example, aspartame alone or in combination with reduced maltose added to a bitter substance (Patent Documents 3 and 4), a technique for reducing the unpleasant taste of drugs such as cimetidine and famotidine using a sugar alcohol such as erythritol and a pH adjuster (Patent Document 5), a technique for adding organic acid salts and sugars to a peptide having a bitter taste (Patent Document 6), a technique for adding thaumatin and sugar alcohol to bromhexine (Patent Document 7), and the like are disclosed. However, in many of these techniques, it is essential to use a high-intensity sweetener and other compounds in combination with saccharides, and it has been difficult to reduce bitterness with only saccharides. Moreover, there are various ways of presenting an unpleasant taste perceived by the tongue depending on the type of compound, and it is unclear whether all these bitterness reducing techniques can be applied to the reduction of the unpleasant taste of saponins. In addition, some consumers feel resistance to the use of high-intensity sweeteners because of their natural orientation in recent years. It has the advantage that it can appeal to.

(References)
JP 2000-262237 A Japanese Patent No. 3246638 JP-A-2-56416 Japanese Patent No. 3110299 Republished WO99 / 16470 JP 2000-300190 A JP-A-10-306308

The present invention relates to a method that can easily reduce the unpleasant taste peculiar to saponins and is excellent in versatility that can be used for a wide range of products, and a product that reduces unpleasant taste peculiar to saponins.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have conducted a deeper analysis on how unpleasant taste appears when saponin comes into contact with the tongue, and as a result, saponin is immediately bitter and feels bitter when it first comes into contact with the tongue. The present inventors obtained knowledge that exhibits a peculiar unpleasant taste composed of bitterness and astringent taste. In order to satisfactorily reduce the unpleasant taste of saponin with saccharides, the use of only one type of saccharide is not sufficient, and it is important to combine two or more types, and even when two or more types of saccharides are combined. It has been found that the effect of reducing unpleasant taste varies greatly depending on the choice of the type of sugar. Therefore, as a result of further investigations, the present inventors have reduced the characteristic unpleasant taste very well by adding glucose or / and erythritol and trehalose or / and maltose in combination to saponin. The present inventors have found a knowledge that can be obtained and have completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention
(1) A saponin-containing oral product, wherein glucose or / and erythritol and trehalose or / and maltose are added together with saponin.
(2) The saponin-containing oral product according to (1), wherein 100 parts by weight to 50,000 parts by weight of glucose or erythritol and 100 parts by weight to 50,000 parts by weight of trehalose or maltose are added to 10 parts by weight in terms of pure saponin. .
(3) A method for reducing the unpleasant taste of saponins in oral products, which comprises adding glucose or / and erythritol and trehalose or / and maltose together with saponins.
Is to provide.

  By using a specific saccharide in combination with saponin, the unpleasant taste peculiar to saponin can be effectively reduced. As a result, an oral product can be obtained in which the unpleasant taste of saponin is effectively reduced using only saccharides without using a large amount of other masking agents such as high intensity sweeteners.

The saponins used in the present invention include various kinds such as soybeans, tea leaves, tea seeds, Enju, Saiko, licorice, beet, kiraya, yucca, yellow pepper, ginseng (Tanachi ginseng, ginseng, flower flag ginseng, bamboo ginseng, etc.). Plant-derived or animal-derived ones such as starfish and sea cucumber can be used. The purified saponin may be a purified product or a saponin composition mainly composed of saponin extracted from the above-mentioned animals and plants. It is particularly preferred to use soyasaponins derived from soybeans and their compositions.
The saponin composition may be a composition in which a fraction containing saponin is extracted from a saponin-containing raw material. For example, in the case of soybean-derived saponin, soy milk may be used, and soybean or soybean hypocotyl may be used as a fat-soluble organic solvent. Extracted using water or lower alcohols alone or mixed after degreasing, adsorbing saponin by contacting this extract with a synthetic adsorbent, and elution treatment with lower alcohol or hydrous lower alcohol. It may also be a composition rich in saponin. In particular, since the unpleasant taste peculiar to saponin is easily emphasized, it is appropriate to use a saponin composition having a saponin content of 10% by weight or more, more preferably 20% by weight or more in the dry solid content.

Glucose, erythritol, trehalose, maltose can be used as the type of saccharide to be added together with saponin, and those commonly used as food ingredients can be used.To increase the saponin-specific unpleasant taste reduction effect, It is important to add glucose or / and erythritol in combination with trehalose or / and maltose. Even if only glucose or / and erythritol is added, the bitter taste immediately felt when saponin contacts the tongue cannot be sufficiently reduced. Moreover, even if only trehalose and / or maltose is added, the bitterness and astringent taste that saponifies as a aftertaste after the saponin comes into contact with the tongue cannot be sufficiently reduced. Further, even if saccharides such as sugar, fructose, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and paratinite are used alone or in combination without requiring the combination of the above saccharides, the effect of reducing the unpleasant taste of saponin is not sufficient.

The amount of sugar used varies depending on the purity of the saponin material, the concentration of the saponin, the form of the food, and other ingredients contained in the food, but generally glucose or / and / or 10 parts by weight in terms of pure saponin. The total amount of erythritol is 100 to 50000 parts by weight, more preferably 300 to 30000 parts by weight, and the total amount of trehalose and / or maltose is 100 to 50000 parts by weight, more preferably 300 to 30000 parts by weight. If the amount of the saccharide added is too small, the unpleasant taste reducing effect of the saponin material is insufficient, and if it is too large, the sweetness of the saponin material becomes too strong in addition to the unpleasant taste reducing effect.

The mixing ratio of glucose or / and erythritol and trehalose or / and maltose varies depending on the form of the food, the composition of the food, etc., but is preferably about 1: 5 to 5: 1.

Regarding the method for adding saccharides, when preparing a saponin-containing product, it is possible to add a saccharide so as to coat a raw material containing saponin or to be unevenly distributed in the product. It is more preferable that the saccharide is sufficiently added and mixed so that the saponin and saccharide are substantially uniformly dispersed in the product. This is because, when an unpleasant taste peculiar to saponin stimulates the tongue, it is considered that sugars uniformly dispersed together with saponin can effectively reduce the unpleasant taste stimulation.

In addition, auxiliary products such as saccharides other than the saccharides, dietary fibers, fats and oils, dairy products, vitamins, minerals, emulsifiers, and fragrances may be added and mixed as necessary to prepare the product.

The oral product of the present invention includes foods and drinks, pharmaceuticals, quasi drugs and oral preparations to which the saponin is added, and also includes saponin preparations as raw materials added to these products. Foods and drinks are ordinary food forms such as beverages, tablets, confectionery, breads, fats and oils, dairy products, soy milk products, spreads, cooked rice, noodles, seasonings, side dishes, frozen foods, solutions, turbid liquids In any form, such as powder, solid, etc., it is effective in reducing unpleasant taste. Examples of pharmaceuticals and quasi drugs include powders, tablets, drinks and capsules, and examples of oral agents include dentifrices and mouthwashes.

Next, although an example is given and the aspect of the present invention is explained, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by these.

[Example 1]
A liquid composition was prepared with the formulation shown in Table 1, and sensory evaluation was performed. In the following experiment, “Soy Health SA” (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., saponin content: 52% by weight per dry solid content) was used as a saponin composition. In addition, sensory evaluation investigated the presence or absence of each of the bitter taste (early taste) first felt when the sample contacted a tongue, and the bitter taste and astringent taste (aftertaste) which remain afterward. As for the level of unpleasant taste, a case where there is no unpleasant taste and a good taste was evaluated as “◯”, a case where an unpleasant taste was felt was evaluated as “△”, and a case where the unpleasant taste was strong and the flavor was inferior was evaluated as three levels. The same evaluation method was used in the following examples.

(Table 1) Unit:% by weight
────────────────────────────
NO. 1 2 3 4
────────────────────────────
Soi Health SA 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Glucose − 10.0 5.0 −
Trehalose − − 5.0 10.0
Water 99.8 89.8 89.8 89.8
────────────────────────────
Evaluation Forefront × × ○ ○
Aftertaste × ○ ○ ×
General × △ ○ △
────────────────────────────

From the above results, it was found that the use of a combination of glucose and trehalose alone can further reduce the unpleasant taste of saponin.

[Example 2]
Tablets were prepared with the formulation shown in Table 2, and sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Table 2) Unit:% by weight
──────────────────────
NO.5 6
──────────────────────
Soi Health SA 1.5 1.5
Maltose 38.75 −
Glucose 50.0 −
Sugar − 88.75
Cocoa powder 6.0 6.0
Chocolate flavor 1.0 1.0
Sucrose fatty acid ester 2.5 2.5
Stevia 0.25 −
──────────────────────
Evaluation Forefront ○ ×
Aftertaste ○ ×
Overall evaluation ○ ×
──────────────────────

From the above results, No. 6 using sugar had a strong unpleasant taste despite being sweet. On the other hand, No. 5 had very little unpleasant taste and showed a good flavor.

[Example 3]
Beverages were prepared with the formulations shown in Table 3, and sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Table 3) Unit:% by weight
──────────────────────────
NO. 7 8 9
──────────────────────────
Soi Health SA 0.1 0.1 0.1
Erythritol 0.1 2.5 10.0
Trehalose 0.1 2.5 10.0
Stevia 0.05 0.02 −
Citric acid 0.2 0.2 0.2
Orange flavor 0.2 0.2 0.2
Water Residual Residual Residual Residual Residue Residue
Evaluation Forefront △ ○ ○
Aftertaste △ ○ ○
Overall evaluation △ ○ ○
──────────────────────────

From the above results, in No. 7, even when the sweetness was adjusted with a high-intensity sweetener, an unpleasant taste was felt when the amount of erythritol or trehalose added was small. On the other hand, No. 8 and No. 9 showed very little unpleasant taste and good taste.

[Example 4]
Based on the results of Examples 1 to 3, combinations of saccharides that can further reduce the unpleasant taste of saponin were examined. “Soy Health SA” was mixed with 0.2% by weight of saccharide A and saccharide B shown in Table 4 in an equal amount of 8.0% by weight, and water was added to prepare a liquid composition to 100% by weight. Then, sensory evaluation was performed. The results are shown in Table 4.

(Table 4) Evaluation of combinations of saccharides effective in reducing the unpleasant taste of saponins

Fructose, maltitol, palatinit, sorbitol, xylitol, etc. were sweet but unpleasant. Moreover, even when fructose and maltitol were combined with maltose and erythritol, an unpleasant taste remained in one of the fore taste and aftertaste, and the reduction effect was insufficient. Further, even when maltose and trehalose were combined, an unpleasant taste remained in the aftertaste, and conversely, a combination of glucose and erythritol remained an unpleasant taste of the fore taste, and the overall reduction in unpleasant taste was insufficient. However, when maltose and erythritol were combined, the unpleasant taste of both the fore and aftertaste was reduced, and the flavor was extremely good.

From the results of Examples 1 to 4 above, in order to reduce the unpleasant taste of saponin,
(1) glucose or / and erythritol;
(2) A combination of maltose and / or trehalose is considered to be most effective.

According to the present invention, the unpleasant taste peculiar to saponins can be effectively reduced, so that it can be used for the production of oral products using saponins, and the saponins can be used more actively. This can contribute to the development of saponin-related industries, which are health materials.

Claims (3)

A saponin-containing oral product, wherein glucose or / and erythritol and trehalose or / and maltose are added together with saponin. The saponin-containing oral product according to claim 1, wherein 100 parts by weight to 50,000 parts by weight of glucose or erythritol and 100 parts by weight to 50,000 parts by weight of trehalose or maltose are added to 10 parts by weight in terms of pure saponin. A method for reducing unpleasant taste of saponin in an oral product, characterized by adding glucose or / and erythritol and trehalose or / and maltose together with saponin.