JP7554646B2 - Processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms and method for producing the processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to processed products containing Enokitake mushrooms and methods for producing the same.

When it comes to the flavor of food, beverages, and seasonings, "umami" and "richness" (the intensity, persistence, and complexity of the flavor) are considered important. The components that contribute to "umami" are mainly amino acids and nucleic acids. It is known that some nucleic acids have a synergistic effect of enhancing umami when combined with glutamic acid, a type of amino acid. These amino acids and nucleic acids are known to be found in large amounts in animal-derived food ingredients and yeast extracts, etc.

In recent years, there has been a demand in the market for products that do not use animal-based ingredients. There is also a certain demand for dishes made only from vegetables and plant-based "dashi seasonings" due to the gentle taste, depth and versatility of vegetables. There is also demand from people who cannot eat animal products and vegetarians, and this demand is increasing.

However, foods, beverages, and seasonings that use vegetables as the main ingredient tend to have weaker umami and richness compared to foods, beverages, and seasonings that use animal-derived foods as the main ingredient. Also, when yeast extract or protein hydrolysates are used to enhance umami and richness, they can end up being too strong in umami or flavor, or can have an artificial taste, so they are often avoided.

Among plant-based ingredients, mushrooms are one that contain a lot of nucleic acids that contribute to enhancing umami. By using mushrooms, which are naturally derived, it is expected that the umami and richness of foods, beverages, and seasonings will be enhanced.

However, mushrooms have a unique odor that some people find repulsive. Furthermore, when used in food, beverages, or seasonings, their unique mushroom odor can ruin the flavor of other ingredients. In particular, they are difficult to use in seasonings where only flavor is desired and no aroma is desired. Furthermore, the more mushroom ingredients are used to increase the umami-enhancing effect, the stronger the mushroom odor will be.

Patent Document 1 describes a mushroom of the genus Pleurotus that has been subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis, which suppresses the heat deterioration odor that is derived from soy sauce in a heated liquid seasoning containing soy sauce.

Patent Document 2 describes a food with a high content of gamma-aminobutyric acid, in which mushrooms are frozen and then thawed to obtain a material with a high content of gamma-aminobutyric acid.

JP 2015-181451 A JP 2012-187068 A

The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a composition for enhancing umami flavor with a suppressed mushroom odor. Conventional processed products using mushrooms have inherent problems of a strong mushroom odor and a low amount of umami flavor enhancing ingredients. As a seasoning, what is required of processed products using mushrooms is to increase the amount of umami flavor enhancing ingredients while suppressing the mushroom odor.

To solve this problem, the inventors conducted extensive research and discovered the relationship between the amount of nucleic acid and amino acid contained in mushrooms and the flavor characteristics of each type of mushroom. From this perspective, the present invention is defined as follows.

A method for producing a processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms, which comprises at least an enzyme treatment. In this process, at least the processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms is subjected to the enzyme treatment. The enzyme is at least one of deaminase and glutaminase. In addition, an enzyme further used in the enzyme treatment is nuclease.

In addition to the enzyme treatment step, it is preferable to have a freezing and thawing step. In this freezing step, the mushrooms of the genus Enokitake are frozen. In this thawing step, the frozen mushrooms of the genus Enokitake are thawed. The freezing and thawing steps are carried out before the enzyme treatment.

Furthermore, in addition to the enzyme treatment step, it is preferable to have a concentration step, in which at least the enzyme-treated Enokitake mushroom processed product is concentrated, and the concentration is performed by evaporation concentration or membrane concentration.

In addition, the ratio of the 5'-adenylic acid (5'-AMP) content to the 5'-inosinic acid (5'-IMP) content in the processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms is 4.0 or less. Preferably, the 5'-inosinic acid (5'-IMP) content in the processed product containing mushrooms is 6.0 ppm to 150.0 ppm when calculated based on the Brix 4.0 of the processed product containing mushrooms.

In addition, the ratio of the glutamine (Gln) content to the glutamic acid (Glu) content of the processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms is 1.0 or less. Preferably, the glutamic acid content of the processed product containing mushrooms is 50 mg/100 g to 140 mg/100 g when calculated based on Brix 4.0 of the processed product containing mushrooms.

Furthermore, the mushroom-containing processed product is a composition for enhancing umami flavor. Also, the vegetable-containing seasoning or vegetable-containing food or drink contains the mushroom-containing processed product.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a mushroom-containing processed product and a composition for enhancing umami flavor that can enhance the umami flavor of seasonings and food and beverages while suppressing the mushroom odor. This makes it possible to produce food and beverages and seasonings that have a sufficient umami flavor enhancing effect and suppress the mushroom odor even with a small amount of the mushroom processed product used.

Flowchart of the manufacturing process for processed products containing Enokitake mushrooms

<Processed products containing Enokitake mushrooms>
The processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms according to the embodiment of the present invention is a processed product that contains at least a processed product of Enokitake mushrooms. The processed product of Enokitake mushrooms is a processed product obtained by processing Enokitake mushrooms. The form of the processed product is not particularly limited, and may be a squeezed juice, an extract, a paste, a dried product, a powder, a granule, or the like.

<Enokitake mushrooms>
The enokitake mushroom according to the embodiment of the present invention is a general term for mushrooms belonging to the genus Enokitake. Examples of the enokitake mushroom include Flammulina callistosporioides, Flammulina elastica, Flammulina fennae, Flammulina ferrugineolutea, Flammulina mediterranea, Flammulina Mexicana, Flammulina ononidis, Flammulina populicola, Flammulina rossica, Flammulina similis, Flammulina stratosa, and Flammulina velutipes. Among these enokitake mushrooms, it is preferable to use enokitake (Flammulina velutipes). It is particularly preferable to use cultivated enokitake mushrooms rather than wild enokitake mushrooms. In addition, it is preferable that the enokitake mushroom is pure white or yellow-white, and more preferably pure white.

<Method of manufacturing a processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms>
The present method for producing a processed Enokitake mushroom product (hereinafter, in this section, may also be referred to as "the present method") is conceptually constituted at least by an enzyme treatment.

Figure 1 shows the flow of this manufacturing method. The manufacturing method preferably comprises freezing and thawing (S10), crushing (S20), fractionation (S30), enzyme treatment (S40), concentration (S50), and sterilization and filling (S60). The steps do not necessarily have to be performed in this order, and the order may be changed or the same steps may be performed multiple times.

<Freezing and thawing (S10)>
The purpose of freezing and thawing is to activate nuclease in the tissue of the Enokitake mushroom. By freezing and thawing the Enokitake mushroom, the tissue of the mushroom is destroyed and the nuclease in the tissue is exuded. This decomposes the nucleic acid RNA, and produces 5'-adenylic acid (5'-AMP) and 5'-guanylic acid (5'-GMP). When used with glutamic acid, an amino acid, 5'-guanylic acid has a synergistic effect of enhancing umami. The thawing may be performed by providing a thawing step as a process, or a method of thawing simultaneously in a crushing step, etc., described later. When the freezing and thawing are performed, it is not necessary to perform nuclease treatment in the enzyme treatment described later, or the amount of nuclease added can be reduced, thereby improving efficiency, such as reducing costs.

<Crushing (S20)>
The purpose of crushing mushrooms is to increase the surface area of the mushrooms, thereby facilitating the elution of mushroom-derived components. The form of crushing is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include slices, dices, finely chopped, and paste. The method of crushing is not particularly limited as long as it is a known method, and examples thereof include crushing, cutting, grinding, and combinations thereof. What is obtained by crushing is crushed mushrooms, and examples thereof include crushed, cut, and ground mushrooms.

Crushed mushrooms are crushed and are not uniform in size. The size of the crushed mushrooms is 0.5 mm to 10 cm. Preferably, it is 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably, it is 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The effect of the crushed mushrooms is to give them a texture of ingredients or a handmade texture. An example of a crushing means is a hammer mill, etc.

The cut pieces refer to crushed mushrooms that are uniform in size. The size of the cut pieces is 0.5 mm to 5 cm. Preferably, it is 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably, it is 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The effect of the cut pieces is to stabilize the quality of the processed product containing the Enokitake mushroom, the seasoning containing the vegetable, and the food and drink containing the vegetable. Examples of cutting means include a micrograder, a dice cutter, a comitrol, a food processor, etc.

The ground material refers to crushed mushrooms that are in the form of a puree or paste. The size of the ground material is about 0.5 mm. The grinding means is a colloid mill, a comitrol, a food processor, etc.

The crushing may be carried out in one step, or in two or more separate steps. The size of the mushrooms after crushing is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.5 mm to 10 mm. More preferably, it is 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

<Fractionation (S30)>
The purpose of fractionation is to separate the water-soluble fraction from the insoluble fraction in the mushroom processed product. It is the insoluble fraction of the mushroom that retains a large amount of the mushroom odor. By removing the insoluble fraction of the mushroom, the mushroom odor is reduced. In addition, by removing the insoluble fraction of the mushroom, the efficiency of the subsequent process can be improved. By removing the insoluble fraction, the concentration level increases when the subsequent concentration process is performed. In addition, by removing the insoluble fraction, the viscosity of the liquid decreases, making it easier to apply to various foods and beverages. Methods that embody fractionation include at least solid-liquid separation (S31), squeezing (S32), and water extraction (S33). The necessity of performing this process can be determined taking into account the final use of the material.

<Solid-liquid separation (S31)>
The purpose of solid-liquid separation is to remove solids of a certain size. The method of solid-liquid separation may be a known method, such as a sieve method or a centrifugal separation method. The principle of centrifugal separation is continuous. Either a centrifugal separator or a batch type centrifugal separator may be used. An example of a centrifugal separator is a decanter.

<Squeezing (S32)>
The crushed mushrooms are squeezed to obtain juice and a cake. That is, the method for squeezing the mushrooms may be a known method, such as a squeezing method, a centrifugal separation method, etc. Examples of the juice extracting device include an extruder, a filter press, a decanter, a ginner, etc.

<Water extraction (S33)>
The purpose of water infusion is to extract the components contained in the crushed mushrooms. When the mushrooms are bathed, the components dissolve. The components dissolve into the water. If the temperature of the water (solvent) is too low, the extraction time will be longer. On the other hand, if the temperature of the water (solvent) is too high, the components derived from the mushrooms will deteriorate. Also, the enzymes contained in the mushrooms will be inactivated. From this perspective, the temperature of the water (solvent) is preferably 10 to 50°C.

<Enzyme treatment (enzyme reaction) (S40)>
The enzyme treatment and enzyme reaction according to the present invention refers to a reaction of a substrate in a mushroom with an added enzyme or an endogenous enzyme of the mushroom, resulting in a conversion of components.

The purpose of the enzyme treatment is to increase the umami components or umami enhancing components of processed Enokitake mushroom products. The enzyme used here is an enzyme used as a food additive. The enzyme used is at least one of deaminase and glutaminase. Preferably, in addition to the enzyme, a nuclease is used. Deaminase is an enzyme that converts 5'-adenylic acid (5'-AMP) to 5'-inosinic acid (5'-IMP). When combined with glutamic acid, 5'-inosinic acid shows a synergistic effect of enhancing umami. Furthermore, glutaminase is an enzyme that converts glutamine (Gln) to glutamic acid (Glu). Since glutamic acid is a component that contributes to umami, the umami is enhanced by converting glutamine to glutamic acid. Nuclease is an enzyme that converts RNA into 5'-guanylic acid (5'-GMP) or 5'-adenylic acid (5'-AMP). When combined with glutamic acid, 5'-guanylic acid exhibits a synergistic effect of enhancing umami. In addition, since 5'-adenylic acid is a substrate for the deaminase, 5'-inosinic acid is further increased by performing deaminase treatment after or simultaneously with nuclease treatment, and the umami enhancement effect is greater. In addition to the above enzymes, cellulase, pectinase, hemicellulase, protease, amylase, lipase, lactase, glucose oxidase, polyphenol oxidase, β-glucosidase, etc. may also be used.

Specific examples of enzymes that can be used as deaminases include Deamizyme G (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) and Deamizyme T (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) derived from the genus Aspergillus. Specific examples of enzymes that can be used as glutaminases include Glutaminase SD-C100S (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) derived from the genus Bacillus. Specific examples of enzymes that can be used as nucleases include Nuclease "Amano" G (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) derived from the genus Penicillium.

The form of the enzyme is not particularly limited. For example, it may be in powder, granule, liquid, etc. When the enzyme used is in powder or granule form, it is preferable to dissolve it in an aqueous solvent and then add it to the mushroom processed product. This allows the enzyme to be uniformly dispersed in the mushroom processed product, and the enzyme reaction to be carried out stably.

The enzyme treatment may be carried out separately from other processes, or may be carried out simultaneously with the concentration process described below. The amount of enzyme used is preferably adjusted taking into consideration the amount of substrate contained in the processed mushroom product. This allows the enzyme treatment to be carried out efficiently. In addition, it is preferable that the temperature and pH conditions of the enzyme treatment are set to conditions that enhance the enzyme activity according to the suitability of the enzyme used.

<Concentration (S50)>
The purpose of concentrating the liquid portion (liquid) obtained by fractionation is to improve the handling of the material. By concentrating the liquid, the volume of the liquid is reduced. In other words, the storage cost of the liquid is reduced. The concentration method may be a known method, such as vacuum concentration, membrane concentration, freeze concentration, etc. In order to reduce the mushroom odor, it is preferable to carry out vacuum concentration or membrane concentration.

<Sterilization and filling (S60)>
In addition to the above, the present method suitably adopts sterilization and filling, which may be performed by known methods, such as plate-type sterilization and tubular-type sterilization.
<Mushroom smell>

The mushroom odor according to the embodiment of the present invention is an odor that forms a unique mushroom scent. Components that form the so-called mushroom odor, which are commonly contained in many mushrooms, include 1-octen-3-ol, 1-octen-3-one, 3-octanol, and 3-octanone. In particular, 1-octen-3-ol is the most abundant of the above compounds, and is known to exhibit a typical mushroom odor. Due to its unique aroma, mushroom odor is easy to detect when it is contained in seasonings or food and beverages, and contributes to the flavor of food and beverages to a certain extent. On the other hand, some people dislike mushroom odor. Therefore, if you want to make use of other flavors in food and beverages, it is desirable to have a low mushroom odor.

It has been discovered that by using mushrooms of the genus Enokitake, it is possible to produce a mushroom processed product with a significantly lower mushroom odor compared to other mushrooms.

<Nucleic Acid>
Nucleic acid is a general term for deoxyribonucleotides (DNA) and ribonucleotides (RNA). Nucleotides, which are the building blocks of nucleic acids, are composed of nucleic acid bases, five monosaccharides, and phosphoric acid. There are four types of DNA bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T), and there are four types of RNA bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uridine (U). Among these, 5'-guanylic acid, whose base is composed of guanine, is known to have a synergistic effect of enhancing umami when combined with an amino acid. In addition, 5'-adenylic acid, whose base is composed of adenine, is converted to 5'-inosinic acid by hydrolysis with deaminase. Like 5'-guanylic acid, 5'-inosinic acid is known to have a synergistic effect of enhancing umami when combined with an amino acid.

<Nucleic acid ratio>
In the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product according to the embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the 5'-adenylic acid content to the 5'-inosinic acid content is preferably 4.0 or less, more preferably 1.0 or less, and even more preferably 0.2 or less.

<Amino acid ratio>
In the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product according to the embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the glutamine content to the glutamic acid content is preferably 1.0 or less, more preferably 0.1 or less, more preferably 0.01 or less, and even more preferably 0.005 or less.

<Nucleic acid content>
The nucleic acid content (concentration) of the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product according to the present embodiment is analyzed by HPLC. In the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product according to the embodiment of the present invention, the 5'-guanylic acid content is preferably 8.0 ppm to 120.0 ppm when calculated based on Brix 4.0 of the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product. More preferably, it is 20 ppm to 100.0 ppm, and even more preferably, it is 40.0 ppm to 80.0 ppm. In addition, the 5'-inosinic acid content is preferably 6.0 ppm to 150.0 ppm when calculated based on Brix 4.0 of the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product. More preferably, it is 30 ppm to 100.0 ppm, and even more preferably, it is 50 ppm to 80 ppm.

Note that when converted to Brix 4.0, for those with a Brix higher than 4.0, it means that it is diluted with water to Brix 4.0, and for those with a Brix lower than 4.0, it means that it is assumed that it is concentrated to Brix 4.0 by removing only the water, and so on.

<Amino acid content>
The amino acid content (concentration) of the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product according to the present embodiment is analyzed by HPLC. In the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product according to the embodiment of the present invention, the glutamic acid content is preferably 50 mg/100 g to 140 mg/100 g when the Enokitake mushroom-containing processed product has a Brix of 4.0. More preferably, it is 70 mg/100 g to 120 mg/100 g. In addition, the glutamine content is preferably 20 mg/100 g or less. More preferably, it is 10.0 mg/100 g or less, and even more preferably, it is 1.0 mg/100 g or less.

<Glutamic acid equivalent umami concentration (EUC)>
In an embodiment of the present invention, the umami index can be expressed as "glutamic acid equivalent umami concentration (EUC)". The calculation method of EUC is shown in the formula below. The calculation method adopted is Yamaguchi, S., Yoshikawa, T., Ikeda, S., et al.: J. Food Sci., 36: 846-849, (1971).

Here, Asp is an abbreviation for aspartic acid. Glu is an abbreviation for glutamic acid. 5'-GMP is an abbreviation for 5'-guanylic acid. 5'-IMP is an abbreviation for 5'-inosinic acid. 5'-XMP is an abbreviation for 5'-xanthylic acid. 5'-AMP is an abbreviation for 5'-adenylic acid. The umami intensity of Asp represented by bi is 0.077. The umami intensity of Glu represented by bi is 1.0. The umami intensity of 5'-AMP represented by bj is 0.18. The umami intensity of 5'-GMP represented by bj is 2.3. The umami intensity of 5'-IMP represented by bj is 1.0. The umami intensity of 5'-XMP represented by bj is 0.61. Table 1 shows the umami intensity of amino acids and nucleic acids. In the embodiment of the present invention, the content of 5'-XMP is almost zero, so the content of 5'-XMP is not taken into consideration when calculating the EUC according to the present invention.

<Brix (soluble solid content)>
In the processed product containing Enoki mushroom according to the present embodiment, the Brix is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1.0 or more and 60 or less. More preferably, it is 5.0 or more and 40.0 or less. The measurement method may be a known method. An example of the measurement means is an optical refractometer (NAR-3T manufactured by ATAGO).

<pH>
The pH of the processed product containing Enoki mushroom according to the present embodiment is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5.0 to 8.0 at Brix 4.0. More preferably, it is 6.0 to 7.0 at Brix 4.0. The method for measuring the pH may be a known method.

<Seasonings containing vegetables, food and beverages containing vegetables>
In the present invention, the vegetable-containing seasoning is a seasoning that contains at least a vegetable processed product and a processed product containing a mushroom of the genus Enokitake. Here, the seasoning refers to an ingredient for seasoning. In addition, the vegetable-containing food and drink in the present invention is a drink or food that contains at least a vegetable processed product and a processed product containing a mushroom of the genus Enokitake.

[Confirmation of increase in 5'-inosinic acid and glutamic acid by enzyme treatment]
<Comparative Example 1>
The tip of 400 g of commercially available pure white enoki mushrooms was cut, cut into pieces of about 5 cm, and crushed using a food processor. The pieces were then centrifuged at 8,000 rpm for 10 minutes using a centrifuge (Hitachi, himac CR22N), and the juice extracted from the enoki mushrooms (supernatant) was used as enoki mushroom juice (Comparative Example 1).

Example 1
The tip of 400 g of commercially available pure white enoki mushrooms was cut, cut into pieces of about 5 cm, crushed using a food processor, and then processed with a centrifuge (Hitachi, himacCR22N) at 8000 rpm for 10 minutes to squeeze the enoki mushrooms (supernatant) to obtain enoki mushroom juice (Example 1-1). 0.1 g of Deamizyme G "Amano" (deaminase) and 0.1 g of glutaminase SD-C100S (glutaminase) were added to 100 g of enoki mushroom juice adjusted to Brix 4 with water, and then thoroughly stirred to dissolve. This was held at 60 ° C. for 1.5 hours while stirring in a thermostatic bath. Thereafter, the enzyme was inactivated by heating at 100 ° C. for 10 minutes, and after cooling, the enoki mushroom enzyme-treated sample (Example 1-2) was obtained.

Example 2
Commercially available pure white enoki mushrooms were frozen at -18°C for 16 hours, and then thawed in a hot water bath at 40°C for 20 minutes. The ferrules of 400g of enoki mushrooms that had been thawed in this way were cut, cut into pieces of about 5cm, and crushed using a food processor. The pieces were then processed for 10 minutes at 8000rpm using a centrifuge (Hitachi, himacCR22N), and the enoki mushrooms were squeezed (supernatant) to obtain enoki mushroom juice (Example 2-1). 0.1g of deamizyme G "Amano" (deaminase) and 0.1g of glutaminase SD-C100S (glutaminase) were added to 100g of enoki mushroom juice adjusted to Brix 4 with water, and the mixture was thoroughly stirred and dissolved. The mixture was kept at 60°C for 1.5 hours while stirring in a thermostatic bath. Thereafter, the enzyme was inactivated by heating at 100° C. for 10 minutes, and after cooling, an enzyme-treated Enoki mushroom sample (Example 2-2) was obtained.

<Nucleic acid analysis>
The nucleic acid measuring device used in this measurement is a high performance liquid chromatograph with an ultraviolet detector (Hitachi, Ltd. Chromaster series). The measurement conditions were as follows: column: Develosil RPAQUEUS AR [stationary phase: C30 (triacontyl group), particle size: 5 μm, inner diameter: 4.6 nm × 250 mm, manufactured by Nomura Chemical Co., Ltd.], column temperature: 40°C, sample injection amount: 10 μL, mobile phase: 100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) as solution A, a solution obtained by mixing acetonitrile and ultrapure water at a ratio of 9:1 (volume ratio) as solution B, a linear gradient in which the ratio of solution B was 0% from 0 to 15 minutes, 4.5% from 25 minutes, 40% from 25.1 to 27.9 minutes, and 0% from 28 to 32 minutes, mobile phase flow rate: 1 mL / min, detector: UV detector, detection wavelength: 254 nm.

<Amino acid analysis>
The method for measuring the amino acid concentration employed in this measurement is the HPLC method. Specifically, the measuring device for glutamic acid and aspartic acid employed in this measurement is a high-speed amino acid analyzer L-8000 series (Hitachi, Ltd.). The measurement conditions are: ammonia filter column: #2650L [inner diameter: 4.6 mm x 60 mm, Hitachi, Ltd.], analytical column: #2622 [inner diameter: 4.6 mm x 60 mm, Hitachi, Ltd.], guard column: #2619 [inner diameter: 4.6 mm x 60 mm, Hitachi, Ltd.], mobile phase: lithium citrate buffer solution, reaction solution: ninhydrin solution, detection wavelength: VIS 570 nm.

<Brix>
The Brix (soluble solids) measuring device used in this measurement was a refractometer (NAR-3T manufactured by ATAGO Co., Ltd.) The product temperature during the measurement was 20°C.

<pH>
The pH measuring device used in this measurement was a pH meter (pH METER F-52, manufactured by HORIBA Co., Ltd.) The product temperature during the measurement was 20°C.

<Results>
The results of measuring the Brix, pH, amino acid content, and nucleic acid content for Comparative Example 1, Example 1-1, Example 1-2, Example 2-1, and Example 2-2 are shown in Table 2. Furthermore, based on Examples 1-1 and 1-2, and Examples 2-1 and 2-2, simulated values of various amino acids, nucleic acids, and EUC values when the samples after enzyme treatment were converted into Brix at the time of juicing are shown in the columns for Example 1 and Example 2 in Table 3, respectively.

Treating enoki mushroom juice with glutaminase and deaminase reduced the glutamine content and increased the glutamic acid content. At the same time, the 5'-adenylic acid content decreased and the 5'-inosinic acid content increased. As a result, the EUC value increased. Furthermore, thawing the enoki mushrooms in a cold environment before juicing increased the soluble solids content of the enoki mushroom juice, increased the nucleic acid content, and also increased the EUC value.

<Considerations>
By subjecting the processed enoki mushroom to deaminase treatment and glutaminase treatment, the amino acid content and nucleic acid content could be increased, and a composition for enhancing umami could be prepared. It was also found that by using enoki mushrooms that had been thawed, the EUC value could be further increased, and the umami enhancing effect was enhanced. It is presumed that the reason for the increase in 5'-GMP content in Examples 1 and 2 compared to Comparative Example 1 is due to the action of nuclease, an endogenous enzyme contained in enoki mushrooms.

[Checking the differences in flavor between each mushroom processed product]
<Preliminary evaluation>
As a preliminary evaluation, enokitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and king oyster mushrooms were crushed using a food processor, then centrifuged using a centrifuge to produce juice from various mushrooms. Five sensory evaluators evaluated the strength of the mushroom odor for the juice from various mushrooms. As a result, the juice from enokitake mushrooms had the lowest mushroom odor. It was decided that king oyster mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, which are said to have relatively low mushroom odors, would be examined in detail in future tests.

<Comparative Example 2>
The ferrule of 400 g of commercially available oyster mushrooms was cut, cut into pieces of about 5 cm, crushed using a food processor, and then processed for 10 minutes at 8000 rpm with a centrifuge (Hitachi, himacCR22N), and the oyster mushrooms were squeezed to obtain an oyster mushroom juice sample (Comparative Example 2-1). 0.1 g of Deamizyme G "Amano" (deaminase) and 0.1 g of glutaminase SD-C100S (glutaminase) were added to 100 g of the oyster mushroom juice sample adjusted to Brix 4 with water, and then thoroughly stirred and dissolved. This was kept at 60 ° C. for 1.5 hours while stirring in a thermostatic bath. Thereafter, the enzyme was inactivated by heating at 100 ° C. for 10 minutes, and after cooling, it was used as an oyster mushroom enzyme-treated sample (Comparative Example 2-2).

<Comparative Example 3>
The ferrule of 400 g of commercially available king oyster mushrooms was cut, cut into pieces of about 5 cm, crushed using a food processor, and then processed for 10 minutes at 8000 rpm using a centrifuge (Hitachi, himacCR22N). The king oyster mushrooms were juiced to obtain a king oyster mushroom juice sample (Comparative Example 3-1). 0.1 g of Deamizyme G "Amano" (deaminase) and 0.1 g of glutaminase SD-C100S (glutaminase) were added to 100 g of the king oyster mushroom juice sample adjusted to Brix 4 with water, and then thoroughly stirred and dissolved. This was held at 60 ° C. for 1.5 hours while stirring in a thermostatic bath. Thereafter, the enzyme was inactivated by heating at 100 ° C. for 10 minutes, and after cooling, it was used as a king oyster mushroom enzyme-treated sample (Comparative Example 3-2).

<Sensory evaluation of mushroom odor and astringency>
18 to 22 sensory evaluators with a keen sense for flavor evaluation were selected. The Comparative Example and the Examples were compared, and the flavors of "mushroom odor" and "astringency (harshness)" were evaluated by a pairwise comparison method.

<Sensory evaluation criteria>
The sensory evaluation was carried out as a sensory evaluation test (1) by comparing Comparative Example 2-1 with Example 1-1, and by comparing Comparative Example 3-1 with Example 1-1. Each sample was a squeezed sample that was not diluted with water. Items that showed a significant difference at a risk level of 5% or less were judged to have a strong (or weak) mushroom odor.

In addition, sensory evaluation test (2) was conducted by comparing Comparative Example 2-2 with Example 1-2, and Comparative Example 3-2 with Example 1-2. Each sample was adjusted to Brix 4.0 with water. Items that showed significant differences at a risk level of 5% or less were judged to have a strong (or weak) mushroom odor and a strong (or weak) astringency.

<GC-MS analysis of mushroom odor-contributing components>
Using mushroom-containing processed products, the aroma components that contribute to the mushroom odor were analyzed. The aroma component of the mushroom odor targeted in this analysis was 1-octen-3-ol. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry can be used as a method for measuring the content of the aroma component according to the present invention. The mushroom-containing processed products of Comparative Example 1-2, Comparative Example 2-2, and Example 1-2 were diluted with water to prepare samples. The components can be detected by a gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GC-MS). In this test, the IS ratio of 1-octen-3-ol to 1,2-dichlorobenzene was measured for each sample adjusted to Brix 2.0 with water. The GC-MS conditions used in this test are as follows.

<Pretreatment conditions>
Pretreatment method: Dynamic headspace method Sample amount: 5g
Internal standard substance: 1000 ppm 1,2-dichlorobenzene solution added 10 μL Incubation time: 10 min
Purge conditions: 6 min (10 ml/min)
Drying conditions: 18 min (50 ml/min)
<TDU (thermal desorption unit) conditions>
TDU: 40℃→720℃/min→240℃(3min)
CIS: 10℃→12℃/sec→240℃(20min)
<GC-MS conditions>
GC: Agilent Technologies 7890A
MS: Agilent Technologies 5975C
Injection port: Solvent vent mode Liner: Tenax TA packed Column: J&W DB-WAX
(60m x 250μm x 0.50μm)
Oven temperature: 40°C (3 min) → 10°C/min →
240℃ (17min)
Measurement mode: Scan mode

<Results>
Table 4 shows the results of measuring the Brix, pH, amino acid content, and nucleic acid content for Comparative Example 1, Comparative Example 2-1, Comparative Example 2-2, Comparative Example 3-1, and Comparative Example 3-2. In addition, based on Comparative Example 2-1 and Comparative Example 2-2, and Comparative Example 3-1 and Comparative Example 3-2, the simulated values of various amino acids, nucleic acids, and EUC values when the samples after the enzyme treatment were converted into Brix at the time of juicing are shown in the columns for Comparative Example 2 and Comparative Example 3 in Table 5. Additionally, the simulated values of various amino acids, nucleic acids, and EUC values for the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2 are also shown.

For oyster mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms, the deaminase and glutaminase treatments after squeezing the juice reduced the 5'-adenylic acid content in each juice and increased the 5'-inosinic acid content. Additionally, the glutamine content decreased and the glutamic acid content increased. On the other hand, compared to enoki mushrooms, the soluble solids content of the juice was lower, and even after enzyme treatment, the amino acid and nucleic acid contents in the juice were lower, resulting in a lower EUC value.

As a result of evaluating the mushroom odor of Comparative Example 2-1 (oyster mushroom processed product) and Example 1-1 (enoki mushroom processed product), the mushroom odor of Comparative Example 2-1 was significantly stronger (Table 6). Also, as a result of evaluating the mushroom odor of Comparative Example 3-1 (king oyster mushroom processed product) and Example 1-1, the mushroom odor of Comparative Example 3-1 was significantly stronger.

Comparison example 2-2 (oyster mushroom processed product) and Example 1-2 (enoki mushroom processed product) were evaluated for mushroom odor and astringency, and the results showed that Comparison example 2-2 had a significantly stronger mushroom odor and astringency (Table 7). Furthermore, Comparison example 3-2 (king oyster mushroom processed product) and Example 1-2 were evaluated for mushroom odor and astringency, and the results showed that Comparison example 3-2 had a significantly stronger mushroom odor. With regard to mushroom odor, the sample using enoki mushroom had the lowest results, both when diluted with water to Brix 4.0 and in the juice sample before dilution.

GC-MS analysis of 1-octen-3-ol, which is related to the mushroom odor, showed that the IS ratio was 12.27 in Comparative Example 2-2, 1.82 in Comparative Example 3-2, and 0.05 in Example 1-2, with the enoki mushroom processed product showing the lowest content of 1-octen-3-ol (Table 8).

<Considerations>
It was found that by carrying out deaminase treatment and glutaminase treatment in a processed product containing enokitake mushroom, it is possible to produce a product containing more components that enhance umami taste and with a low mushroom odor compared to the case of using other mushrooms. This is thought to be because the soluble solids content and glutamine content of the processed product containing enokitake mushroom are higher than those of the case of using other mushrooms. The high glutamine content increases the amount of glutamic acid produced when the glutaminase treatment is carried out, which contributes to the enhancement of umami taste. In addition, the content of linoleic acid, which is a precursor of 1-octen-3-ol that contributes to the mushroom odor, is lower in the processed product containing enokitake mushroom compared to other mushrooms, so the amount of 1-octen-3-ol produced is also less, which is thought to result in a low mushroom odor.

The fields in which the present invention is useful include the production and sale of processed products containing Enokitake mushrooms, compositions for enhancing umami flavor, vegetable-containing foods and beverages, and vegetable-containing seasonings.

Claims (13)

A method for producing a processed product containing Enokitake mushrooms, comprising at least the following steps:
Enzyme treatment: Here, the enzymatic treatment is carried out on at least the processed products of the Enokitake mushroom genus,
The enzymes in question are deaminase and glutaminase. In the manufacturing method of claim 1, the enzyme further used in the enzyme treatment is a nuclease. The method of claim 1 further comprises the steps of:
Freezing: The mushrooms frozen here are the Enokitake mushrooms,
Thawing: what is being thawed is the frozen Enokitake mushroom;
The freezing and thawing is carried out prior to the enzyme treatment. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprises the following steps:
Concentration: Here, what is concentrated is at least the enzyme-treated Enokitake mushroom processed product, and the concentration is carried out by evaporation concentration or membrane concentration. A manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the ratio of the 5'-adenylic acid (5'-AMP) content to the 5'-inosinic acid (5'-IMP) content of the mushroom-containing processed product obtained by this method is 4.0 or less. A manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the content of 5'-inosinic acid (5'-IMP) in the mushroom-containing processed product obtained by this method is 6.0 ppm to 150.0 ppm when converted to Brix 4.0 of the mushroom-containing processed product. A manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the ratio of glutamine (Gln) content to glutamic acid (Glu) content of the mushroom-containing processed product obtained by this method is 1.0 or less. Any of the manufacturing methods of claims 1 to 4 and 7, in which the glutamic acid content of the mushroom-containing processed product obtained by this method is 50 mg/100 g to 140 mg/100 g when converted into Brix 4.0 of the mushroom-containing processed product. A processed product containing a mushroom of the genus Enokitake, wherein the ratio of the 5'-adenylic acid (5'-AMP) content to the 5'-inosinic acid (5'-IMP) content in the mushroom-containing processed product is 4.0 or less, the 5'-inosinic acid (5'-IMP) content of the mushroom-containing processed product is 30.0 ppm to 150.0 ppm when calculated as Brix 4.0, and the ratio of the glutamine (Gln) content to the glutamic acid (Glu) content in the mushroom-containing processed product is 1.0 or less. A mushroom-containing processed product according to claim 9 , wherein the glutamic acid content of the mushroom-containing processed product is 50 mg/100 g to 140 mg/100 g when calculated as Brix 4.0 of the mushroom-containing processed product. The mushroom-containing processed product according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein the mushroom-containing processed product is a composition for enhancing umami flavor. A vegetable-containing seasoning contains a mushroom-containing processed product according to any one of claims 9 to 11 . A vegetable-containing food or drink contains the mushroom-containing processed product according to any one of claims 9 to 12 .

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