JP-2026075495-A - Method for coloring nata de coco, and method for producing colored nata de coco

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a method for coloring nata de coco that can color the nata de coco and suppress color bleeding from the colored nata de coco. [Solution] A method for coloring nata de coco, comprising: a coloring step of immersing nata de coco in an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble natural pigment; an acid treatment step of immersing the nata de coco colored in the coloring step in an acidic aqueous solution; and a heating step of heating the nata de coco colored in the coloring step in the aqueous solution, wherein the heating step is performed simultaneously with or after the acid treatment step. [Selection Diagram] None

Inventors

• 三浦 直人
• 瀧本 展也
• 古賀 匠
• 上田　哲男
• 椎名 隆次郎
• 恩田 昌良
• 鈴木 優香
• 尾崎 さとみ

Assignees

• 兼松株式会社

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20241022

Claims (8)

1. This is a method for coloring nata de coco. A coloring process in which nata de coco is immersed in an aqueous solution of pigment containing water-soluble natural pigments, The acid treatment step involves immersing the nata de coco, which has been colored in the aforementioned coloring step, in an acidic aqueous solution. The process includes a heating step in which the nata de coco colored in the coloring step is heated in an aqueous solution, A method for coloring nata de coco, wherein the heating step is performed simultaneously with or after the acid treatment step.
2. The method for coloring nata de coco according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble natural pigment is one or more pigments selected from the group consisting of gardenia red pigment, gardenia blue pigment, gardenia yellow pigment, red yeast rice pigment, and water-soluble annatto.
3. The method for coloring nata de coco according to claim 1, wherein the acid treatment step is a step of immersing the nata de coco colored in the coloring step in an acidic aqueous solution with a pH of 1.0 to 3.0.
4. The method for coloring nata de coco according to claim 1, wherein the heating step is a step of heating the nata de coco colored in the coloring step in an aqueous solution at 60 to 100°C.
5. A method for producing colored nata de coco colored with water-soluble natural pigments, A coloring process in which nata de coco is immersed in an aqueous solution of pigment containing water-soluble natural pigments, The acid treatment step involves immersing the nata de coco, which has been colored in the aforementioned coloring step, in an acidic aqueous solution. The process includes a heating step in which the nata de coco colored in the coloring step is heated in an aqueous solution, A method for producing colored nata de coco, wherein the heating step is performed simultaneously with or after the acid treatment step.
6. The method for producing colored nata de coco according to claim 5, wherein the water-soluble natural pigment is one or more pigments selected from the group consisting of gardenia red pigment, gardenia blue pigment, gardenia yellow pigment, red yeast rice pigment, and water-soluble annatto.
7. The method for producing colored nata de coco according to claim 5, wherein the acid treatment step is a step of immersing the nata de coco colored in the coloring step in an acidic aqueous solution with a pH of 1.0 to 3.0.
8. The method for producing colored nata de coco according to claim 5, wherein the heating step is a step of heating the nata de coco colored in the coloring step in an aqueous solution at 60 to 100°C.

Description

This invention relates to a method for coloring nata de coco, and more particularly to a method for coloring nata de coco using water-soluble natural pigments. Nata de coco is a white (or translucent) gel-like food produced by microorganisms such as Acetobacter Xylinum. Made from coconut milk or coconut water, nata de coco has a unique texture and is widely used in desserts and beverages. As mentioned above, nata de coco is white or translucent, but in recent years, there has been research into coloring nata de coco to change its color. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for coloring microbial cellulose gel (nata de coco) that includes four steps: immersing microbial cellulose gel (nata de coco) in a tannin-containing aqueous solution; immersing the microbial cellulose gel immersed in the tannin-containing aqueous solution in a dye solution; heating the microbial cellulose gel immersed in the dye solution in an alkaline aqueous solution; and immersing the microbial cellulose gel heated in the alkaline aqueous solution in an acidic aqueous solution. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-161 The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. The nata de coco coloring method of this embodiment includes at least three steps: a coloring step, an acid treatment step, and a heating step. The heating step is performed simultaneously with or after the acid treatment step. First, let's explain the coloring process. The coloring process involves immersing nata de coco in an aqueous solution containing water-soluble natural pigments. The nata de coco used in the coloring process may be commercially available nata de coco or nata de coco manufactured by known methods. An example of a method for manufacturing nata de coco is to inoculate a mixture obtained by mixing coconut milk, water, sugar, acid, and, if necessary, a nitrogen source (protein, amino acids, or ammonium salts), with nata de coco-producing microorganisms (such as Acetobacter Xylinum, an acetic acid bacterium), and ferment it for a predetermined period (for example, 7 to 14 days). The resulting fermented product (nata de coco) may be cut into predetermined shapes as needed. Furthermore, coconut water may be used instead of coconut milk in the production of nata de coco, or coconut water may be used in addition to coconut milk. From the viewpoint of ensuring more reliable coloring, it is preferable to wash the nata de coco before using it in the coloring process. The washing process only needs to remove any excess components (e.g., acidic components) adhering to or contained in the nata de coco. The conditions for this washing are not particularly limited, but for example, immersion in water at 80°C to 100°C in an amount of at least three times the volume of the nata de coco for 15 minutes to 1 hour is recommended. In the coloring process, the aqueous solution of pigment into which the nata de coco is immersed contains at least a water-soluble natural pigment and water. Here, a water-soluble natural pigment means a natural pigment that is soluble in water at 25°C (for example, dissolving 1 g or more in 100 ml of water), and a natural pigment means a pigment extracted from naturally occurring plants or animals. Specific examples of water-soluble natural pigments contained in aqueous pigment solutions include gardenia red pigment, gardenia yellow pigment (crocin, crocetin), gardenia blue pigment, red yeast rice pigment (ancaflavin, monascorburins), water-soluble annatto (alkali metal salt of norbixin), red radish pigment (pelargonidin acyl glycoside), safflower yellow pigment (safromin), red yeast rice yellow pigment (xanthomonasins), red yeast rice pigment (monascorburins, ancaflavin), red cabbage pigment (cyanidin acyl glucoside), purple sweet potato pigment (peonidin/cyanidin acyl glucoside), spirulina pigment (phycocyanin), beet red (betanin, isobetanin), grape skin pigment (various acylated anthocyanins), and berry pigments (blueberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, bilberry, etc., various acylated anthocyanins). One or more of these can be contained. Among the water-soluble natural pigments mentioned above, the water-soluble natural pigment contained in the aqueous pigment solution is preferably one or more pigments selected from the group consisting of gardenia red pigment, gardenia blue pigment, gardenia yellow pigment, red yeast rice pigment, and water-soluble annatto, from the viewpoint of further suppressing color bleeding from nata de coco. When using gardenia yellow pigment as a water-soluble natural coloring agent, the crocetin content of the gardenia yellow pigment is preferably 50% to 100% by mass, more preferably 80% to 100% by mass, and particularly preferably 90% to 100% by mass, based on 100% by mass of gardenia yellow pigment. A crocetin content of 50% to 100% by mass in the gardenia yellow pigment can more effectively suppress color bleeding from nata de coco compared to cases outside this range. The wat