JP3095605B2 - Health foods and beverages containing antioxidants and methods for producing antioxidants - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a health food and drink containing a natural antioxidant and a method for producing the antioxidant, and more particularly to a health food and drink containing an antioxidant contained in cacao beans and cacao. The present invention relates to a method for producing an antioxidant from beans.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Most living organisms, including humans, use oxygen to maintain vital activity. However, active oxygen in the living body has strong toxicity, and recent studies have shown that oxygen damage is deeply affected by carcinogenesis, ischemic disease, adult diseases such as diabetes, various cell dysfunctions due to the production of lipid peroxide, and aging. It is becoming apparent that they are involved. In order to protect tissues from such disorders, various antioxidants function in the human body, and many of them depend on foods.

[0003] In order to prevent such diseases, research on antioxidant substances in foods, elucidation of the mechanism of action, production methods, etc. has been conducted from the viewpoint of controlling lipid peroxide in vivo. It is going on. For example, tea leaves contain various antioxidants such as catechins, and their components and effects are being elucidated [Mitsuaki Sano et al .; Monthly Food Chemical, 7, 24 (1993)].

[0004] However, these studies have only just begun, and various foods that have not yet been confirmed, as well as studies on the in vivo dynamics of antioxidants and the synergistic effects between antioxidants, etc. Research on the search and utilization of antioxidants in soil has been desired.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, have found an excellent physiologically effective antioxidant in cocoa beans, which is a main raw material of chocolate and cocoa. Has been confirmed for the first time, and based on this finding, the present invention has been completed. That is, the present invention provides a health food or drink characterized by containing an antioxidant contained in cocoa beans, and a method for producing an antioxidant from cocoa beans.

The method for producing the antioxidant from cocoa beans in the present invention is by extraction with hot water or ethanol which is harmless to the human body. Various types of cocoa beans can be used as a raw material, but defatted cocoa mass is preferable because the extract can be made into a powder. The defatted cocoa mass is obtained by removing the oil from the cocoa beans obtained by removing the cocoa shell from the cocoa beans. The removal of oil may be performed by a known method.

For extraction, for example, in the case of water extraction, 500 parts by weight of water is added to 100 parts by weight of defatted cocoa mass,
C. to 100.degree. C., preferably about 100.degree.
The treatment is performed for 1 hour, preferably for 20 to 40 minutes, and the extract obtained by filtration is concentrated under reduced pressure. Further, the concentrated liquid can be made into a powder by freeze-drying or spray-drying.

In the case of extraction with ethanol, 500 parts by weight of a water-ethanol mixture having a ratio of water to ethanol of 60:40 to 0: 100, preferably 30:70 to 0: 100, relative to 100 parts by weight of defatted cocoa mass. The mixture is stirred at room temperature for several hours to 48 hours, preferably for about 24 hours. After removing the ethanol contained in the extract obtained by filtration under reduced pressure, it can be made into a powder by freeze-drying or drying under reduced pressure.

As the extracted antioxidant, either a concentrated liquid or a powder may be used depending on the use of the food. Of course, the extract may be further purified by chromatography or the like depending on the use of the food. By the way, antioxidants in foods are not naturally taken alone, but are taken as a mixture of several components. In addition, synergistic action between antioxidants often exerts an excellent effect. Therefore, rather than examining the effects of the individual components of the antioxidant, it is necessary to focus on the manifestation of the overall effect of the components contained in the food.

[0010] Based on such a viewpoint, the present inventors measured the antioxidant ability of the extract obtained from the defatted cocoa mass by the method of the present invention, and used the POV value as an index for the effect of linoleic acid on deterioration. As a result, it was confirmed that these extracts had a strong antioxidant effect. In addition, the inhibitory effect of the extract on acute damage caused when a large amount of ethanol was administered to rats was confirmed. As a result, an increase in lipid peroxide levels in plasma and liver fractions was suppressed. From this, it was found that the antioxidant contained in cocoa beans has an effect of suppressing the production of lipid peroxide in the living body and of preventing acute toxicity due to ethanol.

[0011] The health food or drink in the present invention is a food or drink containing an antioxidant contained in cocoa beans, and since this substance is non-toxic to the human body, its addition ratio is not particularly limited. However, considering the characteristics or economics of each food and drink, the addition amount is 0.1 to 20%, preferably 0.2%
It may be about 10%. The foods and drinks of the present invention include not only foods and drinks using cocoa beans as a main raw material, such as chocolate and cocoa, but also breads, biscuits, and noodles as long as the extract of the present invention can be added. It can be used for any food or drink such as starch-based foods, candy, processed milk, yogurt and the like. It may be appropriately blended at an appropriate stage of the manufacturing process according to the characteristics and purpose of each food.

[0012] Cocoa beans have been used as foods since BC, and the fact that they are consumed in large quantities throughout the world attests to their safety. As described above, the present invention provides a health food / drink containing an antioxidant having excellent antioxidant ability and safety and a method for producing the antioxidant.

[0013]

EXAMPLES The present invention will now be described specifically with reference to examples, but these examples do not limit the present invention.

Example 1 500 g of water was added to 100 g of defatted cacao mass powder, and the mixture was kept at room temperature and 80 ° C.
The mixture was stirred at 100 ° C for 30 minutes to obtain an extract. The extract was filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure, and then freeze-dried to obtain a dry powder as shown below. Extraction temperature Dry powder recovery (g) Room temperature 7.5 80 ° C 22.3 100 ° C Hot water 24.8

Example 2 To 100 g of defatted cacao mass powder was added 500 ml of a water-ethanol mixture having various ratios, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours to obtain an extract. After the extract was filtered, ethanol contained in the liquid was removed under reduced pressure, and then freeze-dried to obtain a dry powder as shown below.

Water: ethanol ratio Dry powder recovery (g) 10: 0 8.2 6: 4 11.1 2: 8 8.0 0:10 0.95

Example 3 Inhibitory Effect of Linoleic Acid on Deterioration The extracts obtained in Examples 1 and 2 were dissolved or suspended in ethanol and added to linoleic acid to a final concentration of 200 μg / ml. Similarly, as a positive control, α-tocopherol was dissolved in ethanol to a final concentration of 50 μg / ml and added to linoleic acid. Approximately 1 g of each of these solutions is weighed in a 200 ml Erlenmeyer flask with a stopper.
Incubation was carried out at a constant temperature for 1 hour. After a certain time, the POV value was measured according to a conventional method. As shown in FIG. 1, the specific activity tended to increase when the concentration of ethanol in the extraction solvent was increased, and the activity was not much different from that of α-tocopherol as a positive control substance.

Example 4 Inhibitory Effect on Elevated Plasma and Liver Lipid Peroxide due to Acute Alcohol Loading Acute ingestion of a large amount of alcohol into the body activates a preliminary metabolic mechanism due to saturation of the usual detoxification mechanism. . The result is a sharp increase in lipid peroxide, which is very harmful to the liver and plasma. It was confirmed by the following method that the extract obtained in Example 2 with 80% ethanol had an inhibitory effect on the phenomenon. Wistar fasted overnight
Three groups of male rats (5 weeks old) were prepared (10 rats in each group)
There were an untreated group (group I), an ethanol administration group (group II), and an ethanol + extract administration group (group III). To group II, 5 g / kg of ethanol was orally administered, and after 6 hours, blood collection and dissection were performed under Nembutal anesthesia. In Group III, the extract was dissolved in ethanol and then administered at a rate of 500 mg / kg. Others were tested in the same manner as in Group II. Group I was untreated and tested otherwise as in Group II. As shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 2, significant inhibition of the lipid peroxide level was observed in group III compared to group II in plasma, and the tendency was observed in liver in group III.

Example 5 Using the extract obtained in Example 1 with hot water at 100 ° C., chocolate was prepared in the following manner according to a conventional method. Cocoa mass 50 parts Cocoa butter 50 parts Hot water extract 5 parts Sugar 95 parts Milk 2 parts Shortening 10 parts The tasting result of this product is a chocolate with a round flavor, good melting in the mouth, and comparable to commercial products Met.

Example 6 Using the extract obtained in Example 2 with 80% ethanol,
Cookies were made according to the usual method with the following composition. Wheat flour 440 parts Sugar 240 parts Margarine 200 parts Whole egg powder 70 parts 80% ethanol extract 20 parts Vanilla essence 2.5 parts Water 130 parts The results of the tasting of this product have a soft chewy taste and taste such as bitterness. The cookie had no color problem and was comparable to commercial products.

Example 7 Using the extract obtained in Example 1 with hot water at 100 ° C., a cocoa drink was prepared according to a conventional method with the following composition. Hot water extract 0.5 parts Cocoa powder 2 parts Sugar 4.5 parts Skim milk powder 0.5 parts Emulsifier 0.1 parts Salt 0.05 parts Vanilla flavor 0.05 parts Treated water 92.3 parts The cocoa drink had no coloration and solubility problems and was comparable to commercial products.

Example 8 Using the extract obtained in Example 2 with 80% ethanol,
Bread was prepared with the following composition according to a conventional method. 52 parts flour 3 parts condensed milk 4 parts Unsalted butter 3 parts Egg 3 parts Purified salt 1 part Raw yeast 1.5 parts Water 31.5 parts 80% ethanol extract 1 part The tasting result of this product is the original flavor and softness of bread. It has a strong texture and has no taste or coloration problems such as bitterness,
The bread was comparable to commercial products.

[0023]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a healthy food or drink containing an antioxidant having excellent antioxidant activity and safety, using cocoa beans which have been used as foods since ancient times as a raw material. . Further, an antioxidant can be produced by a simple method. From the above, the foods and drinks of the present invention, when ingested, are various types of cancer, arteriosclerosis, ischemic disease, prevention of adult diseases such as diabetes, and production of lipid peroxide. Excellent means can be provided for prevention of diseases, prevention of aging, reduction of hangovers, recovery from fatigue due to sports and the like, and their significance is extremely large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the inhibitory effect of a defatted cacao mass extract on the deterioration of linoleic acid.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the inhibitory effect of defatted cacao mass extract on elevation of plasma and liver lipid peroxide due to acute alcohol load.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Adachi 5-3-1 Chiyoda, Sakado-shi, Saitama Meiji Seika Co., Ltd. Biological Science Research Laboratory Examiner Eriko Suzuki (56) JP, A) New Food Ind. (1984) Vol. 26, No. 1, p. 68-71 Journal of the Japan Food Industry Association (1982) Vol. 9, p. 529-537 (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A23L 1/28-1/30 A23L 3/3472 C09K 15/34 JICST file (JOIS) JAFIC file (JOIS)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A health food or drink containing an antioxidant extracted from cacao mass using hot water at 80 ° C. or higher or ethanol having a water to ethanol ratio of 60:40 to 0: 100. 2. A method for producing an antioxidant, comprising extracting cocoa mass with hot water at 80 ° C. or higher or ethanol having a water to ethanol ratio of 60:40 to 0: 100.