GEL COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a gel composition, which comprises a large amount of a fat or an oil containing medium-chain fatty acids in the constituting fatty acids thereof, shows no separation of the fat or oil and relieves gastric distress when eating, and a method for manufacturing the same. The gel composition according to the present invention, which is a gel composition prepared by gelling an oil-in-water type emulsion having an average emulsified particle size of 2-40 m, contains 20-60 mass % of triglycerides, wherein 40 mass % or more of the total constituting fatty acids of the triglycerides are medium-chain fatty acids. The triglycerides may comprise a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride

Claims

1. A method comprising: ingesting an oil-and/or-fat including a gel composition including medium-chain fatty acids to suppress gastric distress after ingestion of the oil-and/or-fat, wherein the gel composition is prepared by gelling an oil-in-water type emulsion having an average emulsified particle size of 2 to 40 m, the gel composition comprising: 20 to 60 mass % of triglycerides, wherein 40 mass % or more of the total constituting fatty acids of the triglycerides are the medium-chain fatty acids.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the triglycerides comprise a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the constituting fatty acids of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride comprise one, or two or more, selected from medium-chain fatty acids with 8, 10 and 12 carbon atoms.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the percentage of medium-chain fatty acids with not more than 8 carbon atoms in the total medium-chain fatty acids contained as the constituting fatty acids of the triglycerides is not more than 40 mass %.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0043] The invention will be described in more detail below in reference to Examples. However, the invention is not limited thereto.

[0044] [Producing of Gel Composition]

[0045] Using ingredients measured according to the proportions shown in Table 1, gel compositions were made by the following procedure.

[0046] After ingredients except an oil-and/or-fat were dispersed in water, temperature was increased to 90 C. and the ingredients were mixed and dissolved until a uniform preparation (the aqueous phase) was attained. Then, the oil-and/or-fat (MCT: the oil phase) was introduced, followed by emulsification using a homomixer. In Comparative Example 1, a homogenizer was further used for the emulsification. Next, after each obtained emulsified mixture (an oil-in-water type emulsion: 1400 g) was filled and sealed in aluminum pouches (15 g per pouch), retort sterilization and cooling for gelling were performed, and the gel compositions were thereby obtained. The following are ingredients used to produce the gel compositions. [0047] MCT: Medium-chain triglyceride having an n-octanoic acid (with 8 carbon atoms) and an n-decanoic acid (with 10 carbon atoms) as the constituting fatty acids at a mass ratio of 30:70, produced by The Nisshin OilliO Group, Ltd. [0048] Emulsifier-1 [modified starch]: Trade name Emulster 500, produced by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. [0049] Emulsifier-2 [glycerin fatty acid ester]: Trade name Poem J-0081HV (HLB12), produced by Riken Vitamin Co., LTD [0050] Gelling agent-1 [glucomannan]: Trade name Rheolex RS, produced by Shimizu Chemical Corporation [0051] Gelling agent-2 [carrageenan]: Trade name GENUGEL WG-108, produced by Sansho Co., Ltd. [0052] Gelling agent-3 [xanthane gum]: Trade name ECHO GUM, produced by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd. [0053] Gelling agent-4 [agar-agar]: Trade name Ina agar S-6, produced by Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd. [0054] Gelling agent-5 [locust bean gum]: Trade name MEYPRODYN 200, produced by Sansho Co., Ltd. [0055] White sugar: Trade name White soft sugar, produced by Mitsui Sugar Co., Ltd. [0056] Citric acid: Trade name Citric acid (anhydrous), produced by Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd. [0057] Yogurt flavoring: Trade name HL01043, produced by Ogawa & Co., Ltd.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Compar- Compar- ative ative (mass %) Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 1 Example 2 MCT 40.0 40.0 40.0 40.0 40.0 Emulsifier-1 1.7 Emulsifier-2 1.5 0.2 3.0 0.01 Gelling 0.5 agent -1 Gelling 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 agent -2 Gelling 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 agent -3 Gelling 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 agent -4 Gelling 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 agent -5 White sugar 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 Citric acid 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Yogurt 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 flavoring Water 50.6 50.6 51.9 49.1 52.09 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

[0058] [Measurement of Average Emulsified Particle Size]

[0059] In the measurement, the emulsified mixtures, which were prepared in the above-described process of producing the gel composition and were not gelled yet, were appropriately diluted thirty- to three hundred-fold with purified water to obtain liquid samples for measurement, and the average emulsified particle size was measured by a laser diffraction particle size analyzer (Microtrac MT3000II, manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.). Then, the obtained measurement value of the particle diameter at 50% in the cumulative distribution was defined as the average emulsified particle size. The particle diameters at 10% and 90% in the cumulative distribution were also measured. The measurement result is shown in Table 2.

[0060] [Dissolution Test of Emulsified Particles in Simulated Gastric Juice]

[0061] The cause of gastric distress which occurs when ingesting a large amount of MCT is considered to be rapid hydrolysis of the ingested MCT in the stomach and small intestine and a resulting increase in the medium-chain fatty acid level. Therefore, it was presumed that gastric distress could be reduced if release of the emulsified particles in the gastric juice is slowed down during digestion of the gel composition of the invention in the stomach. Base on such presumption, the dissolution test using simulated gastric juice was conducted to measure the emulsified particle release rate during digestion of the gel composition of the invention.

[0062] The dissolution test was conducted by the following method. Firstly, each of the produced gel compositions was cut into 5 mm square pieces to simulate a chewed state. Next, to start the test, 2 g of the cut gel composition and 100 ml of simulated gastric juice (pH 1.2, sodium chloride 2 g/l, hydrochloric acid 7 ml/l) prepared in accordance with the disintegration test in Japanese Pharmacopoeia were put in a 200 ml beaker and stirred with a stirrer (at 100 rpm) while keeping the liquid temperature at 37 C.

[0063] 1 minute, 30 minutes and 180 minutes after the start of the test, 1 ml of simulated gastric juice was taken so as not to pick the gel composition. Each sample was diluted six-fold with deionized water and absorbance at 500 nm was measured (by UV-160A, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). Three samples were taken from each gel composition and the average A of the measured values was calculated.

[0064] Meanwhile, 2 g of each emulsified mixture, before gelling into the gel composition, was added to the simulated gastric juice under the same conditions as described above, absorbance at 500 nm was measured after 1 minute, 30 minutes and 180 minutes, and the average B of the measured values (i.e., absorbance on the assumption that all emulsified particles are released in the simulated gastric juice) was calculated. Then, the relative value of the absorbance was calculated using the following calculation formula.

Release Rate of Emulsified Particles in Simulated Gastric Juice=A/B

[0065] The judgement was based on the obtained relative values, such that release of the emulsified particles in the simulated gastric juice was lower with the smaller value and was higher with the larger value (closer to 1). The measurement result is shown in Table 2. For the gel composition obtained by gelling an oil-in-water type emulsion with an average emulsified particle size of about 50 m (Comparative Example 2), the dissolution test was not conducted since the oil was separated at the time of measurement due to unstable emulsification and it was judged that it was not possible to evaluate accurately.

[0066] [Evaluation of Gastric Distress after Eating]

[0067] Three panel members, who tend to have gastric distress after ingesting MCT, had 15 g of each gel composition produced as described above and evaluated gastric distress after 30 minutes and 180 minutes. Overall evaluation was given by the three panel members based on the following criteria. The evaluation result is shown in Table 2. [0068] : No gastric distress such as upper gastric irritation, feeling of fullness in the stomach or indigestion [0069] : With a little gastric distress, but acceptable as diet [0070] x: With gastric distress such as upper gastric irritation, feeling of fullness in the stomach or indigestion

[0071] [Evaluation of Oil Separation]

[0072] 7 days after the production date, the gel compositions produced as described above were taken out of the aluminum pouches and the outer appearance was visually evaluated based on the following criteria. The evaluation result is shown in Table 2. [0073] : Uniform color tone and no oil separation observed [0074] x: Oil separation observed

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparative Comparative Evaluation items Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 1 Example 2 Average emulsified particle size 2.81 5.35 15.11 1.14 49.68 (m) Particle diameter at 10% in the 1.98 2.45 8.57 0.78 26.96 cumulative distribution Particle diameter at 90% in the 4.06 9.17 25.02 1.77 75.27 cumulative distribution Dissolution test (Dissolution rate) Did not experiment After 1 minute [A/B] 0.009 0.018 0.010 0.020 A (0.009) (0.020) (0.007) (0.030) B (1.034) (1.103) (0.678) (1.467) After 30 minutes [A/B] 0.048 0.041 0.042 0.155 A (0.050) (0.045) (0.028) (0.228) B (1.037) (1.105) (0.671) (1.470) After 180 minutes [A/B] 0.068 0.050 0.049 0.204 A (0.070) (0.055) (0.033) (0.299) B (1.031) (1.110) (0.677) (1.466) Gastric distress after eating After 30 minutes X After 180 minutes X X Oil separation X [0075] A in the above table indicates absorbance at 500 nm when the gel composition cut into 5 mm square pieces was added to the simulated gastric juice [0076] B in the above table indicates absorbance at 500 nm when the emulsified mixture before gelling was added to the simulated gastric juice

[0077] As shown in the above result, the gel compositions obtained by gelling oil-in-water type emulsions having an average emulsified particle size of 2 to 40 m (Examples 1 to 3) did not show oil separation from the gel and did not cause gastric distress after eating. On the other hand, the gel composition obtained by gelling an oil-in-water type emulsion having an average emulsified particle size of less than 2 m (Comparative Example 1) did not show oil separation from the gel but caused gastric distress after eating. Meanwhile, in the dissolution test of the emulsified particles, Examples 1 to 3 with smaller average emulsified particle sizes than Comparative Example 1 had a result that release of the emulsified particles in the simulated gastric juice was low, and this result supports the presumption that gastric distress can be reduced if release of the emulsified particles in the gastric juice is slowed down.

[0078] Meanwhile, the gel composition obtained by gelling an oil-in-water type emulsion having an average emulsified particle size of more than 40 m (Comparative Example 2) showed oil separation from the gel and also caused gastric distress after eating.