Abstrict There are disclosed a novel desiccant containing anhydrous maltose
and dehydration of hydrous matters, e.g. food, pharmaceutical and
cosmetic, therewith. Such hydrous matters are dehydrated without
causing alteration or deterioration by incorporating anhydrous maltose
into the hydrous matters to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline
beta-maltose hydrate. The anhydrous maltoses usable in the invention
are anhydrous crystalline alpha-maltose, anhydrous crystalline beta-maltose
and anhydrous amorphous beta-maltose, specifically, those in pulverulent
form.
Claims We claim:
1. A dehydrated product containing crystalline .beta.-maltose hydrate
obtained by the method comprising incorporating anhydrous maltose
as a desiccant into a hydrous matter to convert the anhydrous maltose
into crystalline betamaltose hydrate, and dehydrating the hydrous
matter.
2. The product of claim 1 wherein the maltose content of said
anhydrous maltose is 85 w/w % or higher based on the dry solid.
3. The product of claim 1 wherein said anhydrous maltose is in
pulverulent form.
4. The product of claim 1 wherein the moisture content of said
anhydrous maltose is lower than 3 w/w %.
5. The product of claim 1 wherein 0.01-500 parts by weight of
anhydrous maltose is incorporated into one part by weight of said
hydrous matter.
6. The product of claim 1 wherein said anhydrous maltose is a
member selected from the group consisting of anhydrous crystalline
alpha-maltose, anhydrous crystalline beta-maltose, anhydrous amorphous
beta-maltose, and mixtures thereof.
7. The product of claim 1 wherein said hydrous matter contains
one or more members selected from the group consisting of gelatinized
starch, alcohol, oil-soluble substance, and bioactive substance.
Description FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a desiccant and dehydration therewith.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a desiccant
containing anhydrous maltose, as well as to a method for dehydrating
a hydrous matter characterized by incorporating anhydrous maltose
into the hydrous matter to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline
beta-maltose hydrate.
DEFINITION
Throughout the specification, percentages and parts will be expressed
by weight based on the dry solid, unless specified otherwise.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, dehydrated foods such as "ajitsuke-nori (a toasted
and seasoned laver), "okaki (a dehydrated rice cake)",
"okoshi (a millet-and-rice cake)" and cookie are enclosed
in a moistureproof package such as a can, bottle, polyethylene-laminated
aluminium foil package, and, in the moistureproof package, a desiccant
such as silica gel or calcium oxide is used to decrease the atmospheric
moisture and relative humidity in the moistureproof package so as
to retain the quality of the dehydrated food.
Conventional desiccants, however, have the drawback that their
use involves possible danger because they may come into contact
with the skin or mucous surface membrane or may be misguidedly ingested.
For this reason, development of a much safer desiccant has been
strongly expected.
The moisture in foods greatly influences, in addition to their
physical properties, their shelf lives. Generally, hydrous foods
are susceptive to microbial contamination, as well as to alteration
and deterioration such as hydrolysis, souring and browning.
As one means to decrease the moisture in foods to prolong their
shelf lives, various dehydration methods have been employed: for
example, "sato-zuke (preservation in sugar)" as in the
case of "buntan-zuke (a candied citrus fruit buntan)",
"shio-zuke (pickling in salt)" as in the case of "takuan-zuke
(a pickled Japanese radish)", and drying method as in the case
of "funmatsu-miso (powdered soybean paste)" or "funmatsu-kaju
(fruit juice powder)".
However, sugar has the disadvantages that its excessive sweetness
does not suit the recent preference; that the intake of sugar is
a major factor of causing dental caries; and still that an excessive
intake of sugar increases blood cholesterol. It has been pointed
that an excessive intake of salt is one of the major causes of geriatric
diseases such as hypertension and cancer. Thus, physicians advise
to reduce salt intake as much as possible.
The drying method provides only insipid foods because vaporization
inevitably disperses flavor during the processing steps.
Pharmaceuticals containing a bioactive substance, for example,
lymphokine, hormone, vitamin, intact bacteria cell or antibiotic,
are produced generally by heat-drying or lyophilizing the bioactive
substance in the presence of a large amount of a stabilizer. This
is because bioactive substance is unstable under high moisture conditions.
The stabilizers which have been used are water-soluble polymers
such as albumin, casein, gelatin and hydroxylethyl starch.
Dehydration in the presence of these water-soluble polymers, however,
has the demerits that it consumes a relatively large amount of energy:
that it may insolubilize the final product; and still that it may
inactivate bioactive substances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, we have investigated the use of maltose
in a desiccant which overcomes these drawbacks of the conventional
dehydration methods.
As the result, we found that anhydrous maltose, specifically, anhydrous
crystalline maltose with a maltose content of 85% or higher, acts
as a strong desiccant when incorporated into hydrous matters, such
as those of foods and pharmaceuticals, to effect conversion into
crystalline betamaltose hydrate; as well as that tasty and high-quality
dehydrated foods and stable and highly-active pharmaceuticals can
be easily prepared in this way.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is the x-ray diffraction figure of an amorphous powder with
an alpha-maltose content of 48.0%.
FIG. 2 is the x-ray diffraction figure of a crystalline powder
with an alpha-maltose content of 55.6%.
FIG. 3 is the x-ray diffraction figure of a crystalline powder
with an alpha-maltose content of 61.4%.
FIG. 4 is the x-ray diffraction figure of a crystalline powder
with an alpha-maltose content of 68.7%.
FIG. 5 is the x-ray diffraction figure of a crystalline powder
with an alpha-maltose content of 74.2%.
FIG. 6 is the x-ray diffraction figure of an anhydrous crystalline
beta-maltose powder.
FIG. 7 is the x-ray diffraction figure of a crystalline beta-maltose
hydrate powder ("MALTOSE HHH").
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention utilizes anhydrous maltose which has drawn
no attention as possible desiccant. The present invention is the
first instance where a hydrous matter is dehydrated by incorporation
of anhydrous maltose.
The dehydration method according to the invention is advantageous
for dehydration of a matter which has a free moisture content but
not of a binding water such as water of crystal. For example the
present invention can be advantageously used to dehumidify a moistureproof
package wherein a dehydrated food is enclosed, as well as to reduce
the moisture in various hydrous matters, for example, those of foods,
pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, and their materials and intermediates.
We found that incorporation of anhydrous maltose strongly entraps
about 5 w/w % of moisture from a hydrous matter to substantially
eliminate its moisture or even to bring it to dryness.
Also was found that the relative humidity in a moistureproof package
enclosing a dehydrated food, for example, "ajitsuke-nori"
or cookie, is extremely decreased by placing anhydrous maltose packed
in a small moisture-permeable paper bag in the moistureproof package,
whereby the quality of the dehydrated product is stably retained
over a long period of time.
Since anhydrous maltose neither becomes sticky nor gutters during
or after conversion into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate, moistureproof
package and dehydrated food have no fear of staining.
In addition, the practice of the present invention leads to no
harm because maltose per se is a non-toxic and harmless natural
sweetener.
According to the invention, a high-quality food with a substantially-decreased
moisture in the form of, for example, massecuite or powder, can
be easily prepared by dehydrating a high-moisture content food in
liquid or paste form, for example, brandy, vinegar, royal jelly,
fresh cream and mayonnaise. This method has the feature that such
a high-moisture content food is easily converted into a tasty dehydrated
form without causing alteration and deterioration because this method
uses no vigorous processing step such as heat-drying.
We found that the inner space of a moistureproof package can be
kept at highly-desiccated conditions by adding anhydrous maltose
in an amount over the moisture in the hydrous food material to be
enclosed therein to obtain a dehydrated food wherein the anhydrous
maltose is partially converted into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate,
i.e. a dehydrated food containing both anhydrous maltose and beta-maltose
hydrate; and enclosing the dehydrated food in the moistureproof
package so as to entrap the moisture in the package with the remaining
anhydrous maltose. This decreases the relative humidity in the moistureproof
package.
Also was found that, as a consequence, the present invention prevents
alteration and deterioration such as microbial contamination, hydrolysis,
souring or browning in dehydrated foods; and still that the obtained
tasty foods retain their quality over a long period of time.
In the case of an aqueous solution of lymphokine or antibiotic,
or a paste of pharmaceutical such as ginseng extract or snapping
turtle extract, a high-quality pharmaceutical with a substantially
decreased moisture in, for example, massecuite or powder can be
easily prepared by incorporating anhydrous maltose into the aqueous
solution or paste to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline
beta-maltose hydrate.
This method provides a high-quality and stable pharmaceutical because
the method uses no vigorous processing step such as heat-drying
and also because anhydrous maltose acts as a stabilizer.
Conventional stabilizer such as water-soluble polymer can be suitably
used to obtain a much more stabilized pharmaceutical without wasting
energy for dehydration of the stabilizer.
The present invention can be advantageously practiced in the preparation
of solid injection by, for example, placing a prescribed amount
of anhydrous maltose in a vial; adding to the vial an aqueous solution
containing a bioactive substance, for example, lymphokine or hormone,
in an amount below the moisture that is required to convert completely
the anhydrous maltose; and sealing the the vial.
We found that, in such case, anhydrous maltose dehumidifies the
inside air of the vial, as well as dehydrating the aqueous solution.
Also was found that, as a consequence, the present invention facilitates
the preparation of dehydrated pharmaceuticals; and still that the
obtained pharmaceuticals retain their high quality over a long period
of time and readily dissolve in water on use.
As described above, unlike conventional desiccant such as silica
gel and calcium oxide, the desiccant using anhydrous maltose has
the advantages that it is an edible saccharide and, therefore, assimilable
and alimentary in the body; and that it acts as the stabilizer bioactive
substances.
We have investigated preparation of anhydrous maltose, specifically,
anhydrous maltose powder.
We have investigated in detail the use of anhydrous maltose as
desiccant. As the result, we found that a high-purity maltose with
a maltose content of 85% or higher is suitable for desiccant.
The high-purity maltose used in anhydrous maltose preparation is
a commercialized crystalline beta-maltose hydrate, or that obtained
by saccharifying starch in conventional manner.
Examples of the method to prepare a high-purity maltose from starch
is that as disclosed in Japan Patent Publication Nos. 11437/81
and 17078/81 wherein a gelatinizedor liquefied-starch is subjected
to the action of beta-amylase to form maltose which is then separated
from maltodextrins; and that as disclosed in Japan Patent Publication
Nos. 13.089/72 and 3983/79 wherein a gelatinized- or liquefied-starch
is subjected to a starch-debranching enzyme, for example, isoamylase
or pullulanase, and beta-amylase.
Other saccharides, for example, maltotriose, present in the obtained
high-purity maltose may be further subjected to the action of an
enzyme, for example, as disclosed in Japan Patent Publication Nos.
28153/81 3356/82 and 28154/81 to hydrolyze into maltose; or,
as disclosed, for example, in Japan Patent Kokai No. 23799/83
removed by fractionation using a column of a strongly-acidic cation
exchange resin to increase the maltose content. Such fractionation
can be carried out by the fixed bed-, moving bed-, or simulating
moving bed-method.
The following explains the preparation of anhydrous maltose from
the high-purity maltose with a maltose content of 85% or higher.
Examples of the anhydrous maltose are anhydrous crystalline alpha-maltose,
crystalline beta-maltose, and anhydrous amorphous maltose.
As disclosed, for example, in Japan Patent Kokai No. 35800/86
a pulverulent anhydrous crystalline alpha-maltose is produced by
preparing a high-purity maltose into a syrup with a moisture content
of less than about 10 w/w %, desirably, 2.0 w/w % or higher but
lower than 9.5 w/w %; retaining the syrup at 50.degree.-130.degree.
C. in the presence of seed to effect crystallization; and pulverizing
the resultant anhydrous crystalline alpha-maltose.
The method that is used to prepare an anhydrous crystalline beta-maltose
hydrate powder is, for example, a method wherein vacuum drying is
effected under conditions, for example, in the temperature range
of about 80.degree.-110.degree. C., that do not melt crystalline
beta-maltose hydrate powder.
Anhydrous amorphous maltose powder can be prepared from, for example,
a commercialized crystalline beta-maltose hydrate, or an aqueous
solution of a high-purity maltose with a maltose content of 85%
or higher.
When a commercialized crystalline beta-maltose hydrate is used,
an anhydrous amorphous maltose powder can be prepared by dehydrating
the beta-maltose hydrate at either ambient- or relatively high-pressure
and at a temperature in the range of, for example, about 120.degree.-150.degree.
C. that melts the beta-maltose hydrate When an aqueous solution
is used, the objective powder can be directly prepared by vacuum
drying or lyophilization of a syrup having a concentration of about
70-95%, and either pulverizing the resultant product; or spray-drying
about 50-85% syrup with a high-pressure nozzle or a rotary disc.
The anhydrous maltose thus obtained is a white powder with a mild
reduced sweetness. The moisture of the anhydrous maltose is extremely
low or substantially anhydrous: The Karl Fischer's method gave a
moisture content, generally, below 3 w/w %, desirably, a moisture
content of below 2 w/w %. The anhydrous maltose is substantially
free-flowing, but this slightly varies dependently on the particle
shape and size.
The wording "anhydrous maltose" shall mean substantially-anhydrous
maltose that is convertible into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
while exhibiting a strong dehydrating activity. In order to accelerate
the conversion to increase the activity, for example, it is advantageous
to use a minimum amount of a substantially-anhydrous amorphous maltose
powder that contains crystalline beta-maltose hydrate, generally,
less than 5%, desirably, less than 1%.
We found that incorporation of an anhydrous maltose powder into
a hydrous matter, for example, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic or
chemical, entraps the moisture in the matter as the water of crystal
to form crystalline beta-maltose hydrate. Thus, the anhydrous maltose
powder acts as strong desiccant on the hydrous matter.
Also was found that anhydrous maltose, unlike commercialized crystalline
beta-maltose hydrates, for example, "SUNMALT.RTM.", a
product of Hayashibara Co., Ltd., Okayama, Japan, readily dissolves,
as well as in water, in an aqueous solution of organic acid, salt,
protein or alcohol, and emulsion to give a high maltose concentration.
This is very advantageous for utilizing anhydrous maltose as the
desiccant to prepare various moisture-decreased products from hydrous
matters.
The desiccant according to the invention can be advantageously
used when moistureproof package must be dehumidified and/or dehydrated,
and when a high-quality dehydrated product in massecuite or powder
form is prepared from a hydrous matter that is susceptive to alteration
and/or deterioration during heat- or vacuum-drying.
The present desiccant is specifically advantageous when the hydrous
products are those of origins such as animal, plant or microorganism,
such as organ, tissue, cell, triturate, extract component, and preparations
obtained therefrom.
When the hydrous matter is a food, or its material or intermediate
in liquid or paste form, a stable and tasty dehydrated food can
be easily prepared according to the invention. Examples of such
hydrous matter are agricultural products such as fresh fruit, juice,
vegetable extract, soybean milk, sesame paste, nut paste, "nama-an
(unsweetened bean jam)", gelatinized starch paste and flour
dough; marine products such as sea urchin paste, oyster paste and
sardine paste; poultry products such as fresh egg, lecithin, milk,
whey, fresh cream, yogurt, butter and cheese; hydrous seasonings
such as maple syrup, honey, "miso (soybean paste)", soy
sauce, mayonnaise, dressing, bonito extract, meat extract, tangle
extract, chicken extract, beef extract, yeast extract, mushroom
extract, licorice extract, stevia extract, enzymatically processed
product thereof and seasoning liquid for pickles; liquors such as
Japanese sake, wine, brandy and whisky; soft drinks such as tea,
green tea and coffee: hydrous spices such as those extracted from
peppermint, "wasabi (Japanese horseradish)", garlic, mustard,
"sansho (Japanese pepper tree)", cinnamon, sage, laurel,
pepper, and citrus fruits; and hydrous coloring agents such as those
extracted from madder, turmeric, paprika, red beet, safflower, cape
jasmine, saffron, sorghum and Monascus microorganism.
The dehydrated products obtained in this way, for example, powdered
agricultural- or poultry-product, powdered oil and fat, flavor powder
and coloring agent powder can be conveniently used, for example,
as a natural bulk flavor excellent in taste and flavor, in various
foods, for example, seasonings such as mayonnaise and soup stock;
confectioneries such as hard candy and cake; and instant foods such
as hot cake mix and instant juice.
When the hydrous matter is a pharmaceutical, or its material or
intermediate, a stable and highly-active pharmaceutical can be easily
prepared according to the invention without inactivating the effective
ingredients. Examples of such hydrous matter are a solution containing
lymphokine such as interferon, lymphotoxin, tumor necrosis factor,
macrophage migration inhibitory factor, colony-stimulating factor,
transfer factor or interleukin 2; a solution containing hormone
such as insulin, growth hormone, prolactin, erythropoietin or follicle-stimulating
hormone: a solution containing a biological such as BCG vaccine,
Japanese encephalitis vaccine, tetanus toxoid, Trimeresurus antitoxin
or human immunoglobulin; a solution containing antibiotic such as
penicillin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin
or kanamycin sulfate; a solution containing a vitamin such as thiamine,
riboflavin, ascorbic acid, liver oil, carotenoid, ergosterol or
tocopherol; a solution containing an enzyme such as lipase, elastase,
urokinase, protease, beta-amylase, isoamylase, glucanase or lactase;
an extract such as ginseng extract, snapping turtle extract, chlorella
extract or aloe extract; and cell paste such as that of lactic acid
bacterium or yeast.
When the hydrous matter is a cosmetic, or its material or intermediate,
a high-quality cosmetic can be easily prepared by dehydrating a
hydrous matter such as fresh egg, lecithin, fresh cream, honey,
licorice extract, flavor, coloring agent or enzyme similarly as
in the case of foods or pharmaceuticals. The resultant product can
be advantageously used as skin- and hair-treatments, and hair tonic.
When the hydrous matter is an enzyme, the resultant product can
be advantageously used in the catalyst for preparing foods, pharmaceuticals
and chemicals, as well as in therapeutic, digestive and detergent.
Anhydrous maltose is incorporated into a hydrous matter, for example,
by mixing, kneading, dissolving, permeating, sprinkling, coating,
spraying or injecting before the processing steps are over.
The amount of anhydrous maltose to be incorporated is, generally,
against one part of a hydrous matter, 0.01-500 parts, desirably,
0.1-100 parts, but varies with the properties of the final product.
To improve further the quality of the resultant product, one or
more of flavor, coloring agent, seasoning, stabilizer and filler
can be used along with anhydrous maltose.
Such stabilizer may be a water-soluble polymer that has been deemed
hardly dehydratable, and is not limited to a low-molecular weight
compound such as conventional antioxidant because even such water-soluble
polymer is strongly dehydrated with anhydrous maltose. For this
reason, water-soluble polymers, for example, soluble starch, dextrin,
cyclodextrin, pullulan, elsinan, dextran, xanthan gum, gum arabic,
locust bean gum, guar gum, tragacanth gum, tamarind gum, carboxymethyl
cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl starch, pectin,
agar, gelatin, alubumin and casein can be advantageously used as
the stabilizer.
When such water-soluble polymer is used, a dehydrated food with
microcrystals of beta-maltose hydrate can be prepared first by homogenously
dissolving a water-soluble polymer in a hydrous product in, for
example, liquid or paste form; then incorporating anhydrous maltose
homogenously into the resultant solution with a suitable procedure
such as mixing or kneading. In the resultant food, the flavor- and
effective-components are coated with a membrane of the water-soluble
polymer, or enclosed together with the beta-maltose hydrate microcrystals
in a microcapsule of the membrane. When cyclodextrin is used in
combination with anhydrous maltose, dispersion, alteration and/or
deterioration of the above described components is prevented by
formation of inclusion complexes. For this reason, this method superiorly
retains the flavor- and effective-components that are present in
hydrous matters.
In the present invention, various procedures can be used for preparing
dehydrated products, specifically, those in pulverulent form. For
example, anhydrous maltose is incorporated homogenously into a hydrous
matter, such as food, pharmaceutical, chemical, or their material
or intermediate, with a relatively high moisture to give a moisture
content of about 30 w/w % or lower, desirably, about 5-25 w/w %,
and the resultant mixture is allowed to stand at a temperature of
about 10.degree.-50.degree. C., for example, ambient temperature,
for about 1-10 days to convert the anhydrous maltose into beta-maltose
hydrate to obtain a block which is then pulverized by scraping,
cutting or crushing. If necessary, drying- and sieving-steps may
follow the pulverization.
Spraying method directly provides such powder. For example, a prescribed
amount of a hydrous matter in liquid or paste form is sprayed towards
a fluidizing anhydrous maltose to effect granulation, and then aged
at about 30.degree.-60.degree. C. for about 1-24 hours to convert
the anhydrous maltose into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate. Alternatively,
a powder obtained by mixing or kneading anhydrous maltose with a
hydrous matter in liquid or paste, and, immediately or after starting
the conversion, spraying the resultant mixture is aged similarly.
These methods are favorable for preparing pulverulent product on
a large scale.
The spraying method can be advantageously practiced by using a
minimum amount of crystalline beta-maltose hydrate to accelerate
the conversion and to shorten the subsequent ageing.
The powder obtained in this way can be shaped into any form, for
example, granule, tablet, capsule, rod, plate or cube, alone or,
if necessary, in combination with filler, vehicle, binder and/or
stabilizer, prior to its use.
The present invention can be advantageously practiced in the preparation
of a saccharide-coated product by coating a suitable center, for
example, food such as peanut, almond or candy, or pharmaceutical
intermediate such as granule or tablet, with an about 70-95% aqueous
solution of anhydrous maltose, desirably, that additionally contains
an appropriate amount of a binder such as water-soluble polymer
to cover or coat the center.
Incorporation of anhydrous maltose into a high-moisture content
matter by mixing or kneading swells the matter as the conversion
and dehydration proceed. When swelling occurs vigorously, the resultant
product increases its volume 1.5- to 4.0-folds. The product that
has been solidified with swelling has the feature that it can be
easily pulverized with a less abrasion of scraper, cutter or pulverizer
and a less electric consumption therefor because such product is
softer than that with a less swelling.
This phenomenon is utilizable in the preparation of dehydrated
food of a desirable form. For example, a dehydrated product in the
shape of, for example, flower, bird, fish or doll can be prepared
by placing a high-moisture content matter which has been incorporated
with anhydrous maltose in a plastic casting vessel; and allowing
the high-moisture content matter to stand at ambient temperature
for about 5-90 hours to effect swelling and solidification. To accelerate
the swelling, a volatile solvent such as alcohol or an agent that
forms carbonic acid gas can be incorporated together with anhydrous
maltose, and then heated at a briefly, if necessary. In order to
accelerate the conversion into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
and to shorten the conversion time, anhydrous maltose may be exposed
to a vaporous atmosphere.
The shaped products obtained in this way can be advantageously
used, for example, for foods such as confectioneries, cosmetics
and pharmaceuticals.
Generally, starch requires a relatively large amount of moisture
in its swelling and gelatinization. For this reason, gelatinized
starch is susceptive to microbial contamination. Anhydrous maltose
can be advantageously used to dehydrate gelatinized starch. For
example, microbial contamination of a gelatinized starch product
such as "gyuhi (a rice paste)" can be prevented by incorporating
anhydrous maltose to convert it into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
and to decrease the moisture in the product.
Furthermore, incorporation of anhydrous maltose extremely prolongs
the shelf lives of processed foods that contain gelatinized starch
because anhydrous maltose disperses homogenously in the gelatinized
starch and acts as the agent that prevents retrogradation.
Crystalline alpha-maltose can be advantageously used as the antiseptic
or stabilizer for foods, or agent for improving their quality because,
in the case of a high-moisture content solid food, for example,
peeled banana, peeled orange, slices of steamed sweet potato, opened
and dried saurel, rawor steamed-noodle or rice cake, that is susceptible
to microbial contamination, crystalline alpha-maltose forms a coating
of crystalline beta-maltose powder on the surface of the solid food
to decrease its surface moisture, as well as improving the shelf
life and quality of the solid food. In such case, anhydrous maltose
may be used in combination, for example, with lactic acid, citric
acid or ethanol, to further prolong the shelf life of the solid
food.
Anhydrous maltose exhibits a high affinity to alcohols. Because
of this property, anhydrous maltose can be advantageously used as
the desiccant for alcohols and alcohol-soluble matters, such as
methanol, ethanol, butanol, propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol.
For example, a dehydrated liquor in massecuite or powder can be
prepared by dehydrating a liquor such as Japanese sake, "shochu
(a Japanese distilled spirits", wine, brandy, whisky or vodka;
their effective component and flavor being retained in the resultant
crystalline beta-maltose hydrate. The obtained liquor powder can
be used in confectioneries and premixes, as well as in beverages
after dissolution in water.
In the above case, anhydrous maltose imparts a mild sweetness,
body and appropriate viscosity to the liquor, as well as dehydrating
and stabilizing the liquor.
The present invention can be advantageously practiced in the preparation
of ointments in massecuite form with an appropriate viscosity, spreading
rate and adhesiveness that stably retain their effective element
such as iodine by mixing an alcoholic solution of iodine with anhydrous
maltose, and adding an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble
polymer to the resultant mixture to convert the anhydrous maltose
into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate.
Anhydrous maltose exhibits an unexpectedly high affinity to oil
and fat though it is a hydrophilic saccharide.
Because of this property, anhydrous maltose can be advantageously
used as the desiccant for oil-soluble substance, emulsion or latex,
specifically, as the desiccant that entraps a trace moisture in
oil-soluble substances. Examples of such oil-soluble substances
are fats and oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, mustard oil,
sesame oil, safflower oil, palm oil, cacao butter, beef tallow,
lard, chicken oil, marine oil and hardened oil; oil-soluble spices
such as citrus essential oil, flower essential oil, spice oil, peppermint
oil, spearmint oil, cola nut extract and coffee extract; oil-soluble
coloring agent such as beta-carotin, paprika pigment, annotto pigment
and chlorophyll; oil-soluble vitamins such as liver oil, vitamin
A, vitamin B.sub.2 lactate, vitamin E, vitamin K and vitamin D;
oil-soluble hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and androgen;
and unsaturated higher fatty acids such as linoleic acid, linolenic
acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic
acid.
The resultant dehydrated oil-soluble substances is featured by
the high-quality and low susceptivity to alteration and deterioration
such as hydrolysis and souring.
This method can be advantageously practiced in the preparation
of pulverulent foods such as those of oil and fat, spice, flavor
and coloring agent, pulverulent cosmetics, and pulverulent pharmaceuticals
such as those of vitamin and hormone by impregnating or mixing an
oil-soluble substance in anhydrous maltose.
In this case, anhydrous maltose acts as the desiccant, as well
as a stabilizer, retainer, vehicle and carrier.
Anhydrous maltose can be advantageously used in foods containing
oil-soluble substance, such as chocolate and cream filling, where
the presence of moisture is undesirable. In this case, in addition
to the dehydrating activity, the properties of anhydrous maltose
to improve processibility, melting properties and flavor are utilized.
The obtained products are characterized in retaining their high-quality
over a long period of time.
As described above, the present invention is based on the finding
that anhydrous maltose strongly dehydrates various hydrous matters.
By using anhydrous maltose as the desiccant, foods, cosmetics and
pharmaceuticals that have a decreased moisture and high-quality
can be prepared from a hydrous matter in liquid or paste form without
causing, in foods and cosmetics, deterioration and/or dispersion
of taste and flavor, and, in pharmaceuticals, decomposition and/or
inactivation of their effective components.
In addition to the above mentioned special uses, anhydrous maltose
can be advantageously used in the preparation of foods, pharmaceuticals
and cosmetics because anhydrous maltose is a natural sweetener and
has the inherent feature of maltose that it imparts a mild sweetness,
body, texture, viscosity and moisture-retaining properties to these
matters without fear of increasing their cariogenicty and blood
cholesterol.
Anhydrous maltose is an assimirable nutrient; this property is
inherent to maltose.
When anhydrous maltose is parenterally used in the form of, for
example, injection, anhydrous maltose supplies 2-fold higher calorie
than glucose because in solution maltose becomes isotonic when used
in 2-fold higher concentration. For this reason, anhydrous maltose
is suitable for hyperalimentation when, as in the case of a surgical
operation, the subject requires a relatively high calorie supplement.
The following is illustrative of additional uses of the present
desiccant.
Anhydrous maltose can be used as the sweetener with a strong dehydrating
activity.
Anhydrous maltose can be used along with one or more sweeteners,
for example, powdered syrup, glucose, isomerized sugar, sucrose,
honey, maple sugar, sorbitol, maltitol, dihydrocharcone, stevioside,
alpha-glycosyl stevioside, sweet substance derived from Momordica
grosvenori Swingle, glycyrrhizin, thaumatin, L-asparatyl L-phenylalanine
methyl ester, saccharin, glycine or alanine; and/or filler such
as dextrin, starch or lactose.
Since anhydrous maltose has the features that it has the inherent
mild sweetness of maltose; that it well harmonizes with the sour-,
acid-, salty-, astringent-, bitter- and delicious-tastes of other
substances: and that it is highly acidand heat-resistant, anhydrous
maltose can be freely used for dehydrating foods in general, as
well as for sweetening or improving their taste quality.
Examples of the foods are seasonings such as soy sauce, powdered
soy sauce, "miso", "funmatsu-miso (powdered miso)",
"moromi (an unrefined sake)", "hishio (a refined
soy sauce)", "furikake (a seasoned fish meal)", mayonnaise,
dressing, vinegar, "sanbai-zu (a sauce of sauce, soy, and vinegar)",
"funmatsu-sushi-no-moto (a premix for seasoning sushi)",
"chuka-no-moto (an instant mix of Chinese dish)", "tentsuyu
(a sauce for Japanese deep-fat fried food)", "mentsuyu
(a sauce for Japanese vermicelli)", sauce, catsup, "yakiniku-no-tare
(a sauce for Japanese grilled meat)", curry roux, instant stew
mix, instant soup mix, "dashi-no-moto (an instant stock mix)",
mixed seasoning, "mirin (a sweet sake)", "shin-mirin
(a synthetic mirin)", table sugar and coffee sugar.
Also, anhydrous maltose can be freely used for dehydrating "wagashi
(Japanese cakes)" such as "senbei (rice crackers)",
"arare-mochi (pellet-shaped senbei)", "okoshi (a
millet-and-rice cake)", "gyuhi (a rice paste)", rice
paste, "manju (a bun with a bean-jam filling)", "uiro
(a sweet rice jelly)", "an (a bean jam)", "yokan
(a sweet jelly of beans)", "mizu-yokan (a soft adzuki-bean
jelly)", "kingyoku (a kind of yokan)", jelly, pao
de Castella (a sponge cake) and "amedama (toffees)"; confectioneries
and bakery products such as bun, biscuit, cracker, cookie, pie,
pudding, butter cream, custard cream, cream puff, waffle, sponge
cake, doughnut, chocolate, chewing gum, caramel and candy; frozen
desserts such as ice cream and shurbet; syrups such as "kajitsu-no-syrup-zuke
(a preserved fruit)" and "kori-mitsu (a sugar syrup for
shaved ice)"; pastes such as flour paste, peanut paste and
fruit paste; processed fruits and vegetables such as jam, marmalade,
"syrup-zuke (fruit pickles)" and "toka (conserves)";
pickles and pickled products such as "fukujin-zuke (red colored
radish pickles)", "bettara-zuke (a kind of whole fresh
radish pickles)", "senmai-zuke (a kind of sliced fresh
radish pickles)" and "rakkyo-zuke (pickled shallots)";
premixes for pickles and pickled products such as "takuan-zuke-no-moto
(a premix for pickled radish)" and "hakusai-zuke-no-moto
(a premix for fresh white rape pickles)"; meat products such
as ham and sausage; fish meat products such as fish ham, fish sausage,
"kamaboko (a steamed fish paste)", "chikuwa (literally
bamboo wheels)" and "tenpura (a Japanese deep-fat fried
fish paste)"; "chinmi (relish)" such as "uni-no-shiokara
(salted guts of sea urchin)", "ika-no-shiokara (salted
guts of squid)", "su-konbu (a processed tangle)",
"saki-surume (dried squid strips)" and "fugu-no-mirinboshi
(a dried mirin-seasoned swellfish)"; "tsukudani (foods
boiled down in soy)" such as those of laver, edible wild plants,
dried squid, fish and shellfish; daily dishes such as "nimame
(cooked beans)", potato salad and "konbu-maki (a tangle
roll)"; milk products; canned and bottled products such as
those of meat, fish meat, fruit and vegetable; alcoholic beverages
such as synthetic sake, "zozyo-shu", fruit wine and liquors;
soft drinks such as coffee, cocoa, juice, carbonated beverage, sour
milk beverage and beverage containing a lactic bacterium; instant
foodstuffs such as instant pudding mix, instant hot cake mix, juice
powder, instant coffee, "sokuseki-shiruko (an instant mix of
adzuki-bean soup with rice cake)" and instant soup mix, as
well as for sweetening and improving their taste quality.
Anhydrous maltose can be used in animal feeds and pet foods directed
to domestic animal and fowl, pet animal, fish, honey bee, silkworm,
and fish for dehydrating and improving their taste quality.
In addition, anhydrous maltose can be freely used to sweeten tobaccos,
cosmetics and pharmaceuticals in solid, paste or liquid form, such
as cigar, cigarette, dentifrice, lipstick, lipcream, medicine for
internal administration, troche, liver oil drop, oral refreshing
agent, cachou and collutorium, as well as to improve their taste
quality.
The following experiments will explain the present invention in
more detail.
EXPERIMENT 1
Comparison of material maltose
Several starch sugar products as listed in Table I, commercialized
by Hayashibara Co., Ltd., Okayama, Japan, were used as the material
maltose. The syrup product, i.e. "MALSTAR.RTM." or "HM-75",
was charged in an evaporator and evaporated in vacuo to give a moisture
content of 4.5 w/w %.
The crystalline beta-maltose hydrate powder, i.e. "SUNMALT.RTM.",
"MALTOSE H", "MALTOSE HH" or "MALTOSE HHH",
was dissolved with a small amount of water by heating, charged in
an evaporator, and evaporated in vacuo to give a moisture content
of 4.5 w/w %.
The resultant syrup with a moisture content of about 4.5 w/w %
was placed in a crystallizer, added with 2% crystalline alpha-maltose
as the seed which had been crystallized and recovered from an about
50 w/v % hot aqueous alcoholic solution of "MALTOSE HHH (a
commercialized crystalline high-purity betamaltose hydrate)",
and crystallized at 120.degree. C. for 20 minutes. Thereafter, the
content was placed in an aluminium tray and aged at 90.degree. C.
for 16 hours. The resultant block was cooled to ambient temperature
and finely divided. The alpha-maltose isomer content in the resultant
powder was determined by gas-chromatography as described by C. C.
Sweeley et al., in Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.
85 pp. 2497-2507 (1963). Separately, the powder was subjected to
x-ray diffraction analysis using CuK.alpha. ray as described by
F. H. Stodola et al., in Journal of the American Chemical Society,
Vol. 78 pp. 2514-2518 (1956) in order to check the presence of
crystal. The employed x-ray diffractometer was "GEIGERFLEX
RAD-II B", commercialized by Rigaku Corporation, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, Japan. The results were as shown in Table I. The x-ray diffraction
figures were as shown in FIGS. 1-6. FIG. 1 is the x-ray diffraction
figure of an amorphous powder with an alpha-maltose content of 48.0%;
FIG. 2 the x-ray diffraction figure of a crystalline powder with
an alpha-maltose content of 55.6%; FIG. 3 an x-ray diffraction
figure of a crystalline powder with an alpha-maltose content of
61.4%; FIG. 4 an x-ray diffraction figure of a crystalline powder
with an alpha-maltose content of 68.7%; FIG. 5 an x-ray diffraction
figure of a crystalline powder with an alpha-maltose content of
74.2%, and FIG. 6 the x-ray diffraction figure of an anhydrous
crystalline beta-maltose. The anhydrous amorphous maltose powder
gave a similar x-ray diffraction figure as shown in FIG. 1. As the
control, the x-ray diffraction study of "MALTOSE HHH"
gave a figure as shown in FIG. 7.
These x-ray diffraction results evidently confirm that the alpha-maltose
isomer content required for crystallization is 55% or higher, and
that the maltose content of a feasible material maltose is 85% or
higher.
EXPERIMENT 2
Comparison of several saccharides on dehydrating activity
One variety of anhydrous glucose, sucrose, anhydrous saccharides
prepared in Test No. 1-8 in Experiment 1 and material crystalline
beta-maltose hydrate of Test No. 5 in Experiment 1 was pulverized
to give a particle size of about 100-150 microns, thereafter 1 g
of either powder was placed in a plastic Petri dish, diameter of
5 cm, and allowed to stand at 25.degree. C. and a relative humidity
of 70%. In the course of the standing, each powder was successively
sampled and then measured for moisture content (%). The dehydrating
activities of the saccharides were estimated with the moisture contents.
On successively determining the x-ray diffraction figure of each
sample, no change was noted for anhydrous glucose, sucrose and crystalline
beta-maltose hydrate, while the anhydrous maltoses in Test Nos.
3-8 changed with moisture-intake and is, with about 5 w/w % of moisture,
converted into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate reaching the equilibrium
and changing no more.
Similarly, the anhydrous maltose prepared in Test No. 5 in Experiment
1 was allowed to stand at a regulated relative humidity of 92% and
successively measured for moisture content (%). This confirms that
even after conversion into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate by entrapping
about 5 w/w % moisture the resultant crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
still entraps moisture and reaches the equilibrium with a moisture
of about 18%. At this time, the resultant product retained its pulverulent
form and was neither damp nor flowing.
We found that due to this property anhydrous maltose can be advantageously
used as the desiccant for foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and
their materials and intermediates.
EXPERIMENT 4
Comparison of several saccharides for effects on gelatinized starch
Four hundred grams of waxy rice powder was dissolved in 600 ml
of water, and the resultant was poured onto a wet cloth extended
over a wooden frame and steamed at 105.degree. C. for 10 minutes
to obtain a gelatinized starch.
The gelatinized starch was then admixed in a mixer with 800 g of
either anhydrous crystalline alpha-maltose prepared in Test No.
5 in Experiment 1 or crystalline beta-maltose hydrate. When the
mixture attained homogeneity, it was added with 200 g of corn starch,
sufficiently kneaded, shaped and dried briefly for 2 hours in a
stream of 40.degree. C. air to obtain "gyuhi".
Upon standing at ambient temperature (25.degree. C.) in an open
system, the "gyuhi" product using crystalline beta-maltose
hydrate showed a growth of bread mold after a lapse of 12 days,
while the product using anhydrous maltose had no microbial contamination
even after a lapse of 20 days.
On the twentieth day, the "gyuhi" products were cut and
their sections were observed. As the result, the "gyuhi"
product using anhydrous maltose slightly hardened and crystallized
at its outer layer but it had a semitransparent inner part with
such a fresh satisfactory gloss and viscosity as immediately on
its preparation. The x-ray diffraction figure of the crystal appearing
at the outer layer of the "gyuhi" product confirmed that
the anhydrous maltose used was converted completely into crystalline
beta-maltose hydrate.
The "gyuhi" product using crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
showed a growth of mold at the outer layer, and its whole sectional
layer was cloudy and glossless.
Thus, it was found that anhydrous maltose acts as the desiccant
for gelatinized starch, as well as preventing microbial contamination
and retrogradation of gelatinized starch.
This property is utilizable in various products that use gelatinized
starch such as "gyuhi" and flour paste.
The following explains the production of anhydrous maltose powder.
EXAMPLE FOR REFERENCE 1
A suspension of 1 part of potato starch and 10 parts of water was
added with a commercialized liquefying bacterial alpha-amylase,
gelatinized by heating to 90.degree. C., and immediately heated
to 130.degree. C. to suspend the enzymatic reaction. Thus, a liquefied
starch solution with a Dextrose Equivalent (DE) of about 0.5 was
obtained. The starch solution was immediately cooled to 55.degree.
C., added with 100 units/g starch of isoamylase (EC 3.2.1.68) derived
from a culture of Pseudomonas amyloderamosa ATCC 21262 and 50 units/starch
of a soybean beta-amylase (EC 3.2.1.2), commercialized by Nagase
& Company, Ltd., Osaka, Japan, under the trade name of "#1500",
and saccharified at pH 5.0 for 40 hours to obtain a high-purity
maltose solution with a maltose content of 92.5%, which was then
decolored with activated carbon, followed by purification and deionization
with ion exchange resins. The maltose solution was then concentrated
to 75%, fed to a crystallizer, added with 1% crystalline beta-maltose
monohydrate seed, adjusted to 40.degree. C., and gradually cooled
to 30.degree. C. in 2 days under gentle stirring conditions to obtain
a massecuite. The crystals were separated from the massecuite with
a basket-type centrifuge, and washed by spraying a small amount
of water to obtain a crystalline high-purity beta-maltose hydrate
(purity 99.0%).
The high-purity maltose thus obtained was dissolved with a small
amount of water by heating, charged in an evaporator, and evaporated
in vacuo to prepare a syrup with a moisture content of 5.5 w/w %.
The content was fed to a crystallizer, added with 1% crystalline
alpha-maltose seed obtained by the method in Test No. 6 in Experiment
1 crystallized at 100.degree. C. for 5 minutes while stirring,
poured into a plastic tray, and aged at 70.degree. C. for 6 hours.
The resultant block was then finely divided with a pulverizer, and
dehydrated by fluidized-bed drying to obtain a pulverulent crystalline
alpha-maltose with an alpha-maltose isomer content of 73.3% and
a moisture content of 0.42 w/w % in the yield of about 92% based
on the material crystalline high-purity beta-maltose hydrate.
The product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for hydrous
matters such as foods, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and their materials
and intermediates, as well as a white powder sweetener with a mild
sweetness.
EXAMPLE FOR REFERENCE 2
An aqueous solution of a high-purity maltose with a maltose content
of 92.5%, prepared by the method in Example for reference 1 was
concentrated in vacuo to give a moisture content of 20 w/w %, and
sprayed through a nozzle, equipped at the top of a spraying tower,
with a high-pressure pump. Simultaneously, 100.degree. C. air was
passed from the top of the tower towards a net conveyer carrying
a fluidized crystalline alpha-maltose as the seed crystal, placed
at the bottom of the tower, to collect the pulverized product on
the net conveyer and also to fluidize the product out of the tower
over a period of 60 minutes while passing a stream of 70.degree.
C. air upwards through the net. The resultant product was then placed
in an ageing tower and aged for 4 hours in a stream of 70.degree.
C. air to obtain a crystalline alpha-maltose powder with an alpha-maltose
content of 66.2% and a moisture content of 0.55 w/w % in the yield
of about 94% based on the material high-purity maltose.
Like the anhydrous maltose powder in Example for Reference 1 the
product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for various
hydrous matters, as well as sweetener.
EXAMPLE FOR REFERENCE 3
A suspension of 2 parts of corn starch and 10 parts of water was
added with a commercialized bacterial liquefying alpha-amylase,
gelatinized by heating to 90.degree. C., and heated to 130.degree.
C. to suspend the enzymatic reaction in order to prepare a liquefied
starch solution with a DE of about 2. The starch solution was immediately
cooled to 55.degree. C., added with 120 units/g starch of isoamylase
(EC 3.2.1.68), prepared from a culture of Pseudomonas amyloderamosa
ATCC 21262 and 30 units/g starch of a soybean beta-amylase, saccharified
at pH 5.0 for 40 hours, and purified similarly as in Example for
Reference 1 to obtain a high-purity maltose solution with a maltose
content of 88.6%, which was then concentrated in vacuo into a syrup
with a moisture content of 3.5 w/w %.
The syrup was then transferred into a crystallizer, added with
2.5% crystalline alpha-maltose seed obtained by the method in Example
for Reference 2 crystallized at 120.degree. C. for 10 minutes while
stirring, poured into an aluminium tray, and aged at 70.degree.
C. for 18 hours to obtain a solid. Similarly as in Example for Reference
1 the solid was divided and dehydrated to obtain a crystalline
alpha-maltose powder with an alpha-maltose isomer content of 63.9%
and a moisture content of 0.60 w/w % in the yield of about 94% based
on the material high-purity maltose.
Like the anhydrous maltose powder in Example for Reference 1 the
product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for various
hydrous matters, as well as sweetener.
EXAMPLE FOR REFERENCE 4
A 45 w/w % aqueous solution of "HM-75", a starch sugar
solution with a maltose content of 79.6%, commercialized by Hayashibara
Co., Ltd., Okayama, Japan, was used as the feed solution. "XT-1022
E (Na.sup.+)", a strongly-acidic cation exchange resin, commercialized
by Tokyo Chemical Industries, Kita-ku, Tokyo, Japan, was chosen
and packed in water suspension in four 5.4 cm jacketed stainless
steel columns to give respective bed depth of 5 m. The columns were
cascaded to give a total bed depth of 20 m.
The feed solution was admitted into the columns in an amount of
5 v/v % to the bed volume, and fractionated by passing 55.degree.
C. water at a space velocity of 0.13 through the columns while keeping
the inner temperature of the column at 55.degree. C. to obtain effluents.
The maltose-rich fraction was separated from the effluents to obtain
a high-purity maltose solution with a maltose content of 94.4%.
After repeating these operations 20 cycles, the resultant high-purity
maltose solutions were pooled and concentrated in vacuo to obtain
a syrup with a moisture content of 4.0 w/w %, which was then transferred
into a crystallizer, added with 2% crystalline alpha-maltose seed
obtained by the method in Example for Reference 2 crystallized
at 110.degree. C. for 20 minutes under stirring, and granulated
with a screw-type extrusion granulator. The resultant product was
then placed in a drying chamber and aged therein by dehydration
in a stream of 80.degree. C. air for 2 hours to obtain a crystalline
alpha-maltose powder with an alpha-maltose isomer content of 69.2%
and a moisture content of 0.48 w/w % in the yield of about 93% based
on the material high-purity maltose.
Like the anhydrous maltose powder in Example for Reference 1 the
product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for various
hydrous matter, as well as sweetener.
EXAMPLE FOR REFERENCE 5
A crystalline beta-maltose hydrate obtained by the method in Example
for Reference 1 was lyophilized at 95.degree. C. for 2 days to prepare
an anhydrous crystalline beta-maltose powder with a moisture content
of 0.36 w/w %.
Like the anhydrous maltose powder in Example for Reference 1 the
product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for hydrous
matters, as well as sweetener.
EXAMPLE FOR REFERENCE 6
An aqueous solution of a high-purity maltose obtained by the method
in Example for Reference 3 was concentrated in vacuo, and sprayed
from a nozzle provided at the upper part of a spray-drying tower
with a high pressure pump through a stream of 160.degree. C. air
towards the bottom of the spray-drying tower to effect dehydration.
Simultaneously, the sprayed product was collected at the bottom
of the spray-drying tower, and conveyed outside the tower to obtain
a powder with a moisture content of 0.40 w/w %. The powder was then
mixed with about 0.1% of a crystalline beta-maltose hydrate seed
obtained by the method in Example for Reference 1 to obtain a substantially-amorphous
anhydrous maltose powder.
Like the anhydrous maltose powder in Example for Reference 1 the
product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for hydrous
matter, as well as sweetener.
EXAMPLE FOR REFERENCE 7
An aqueous solution of a high-purity maltose obtained by the method
in Example for Reference 4 was concentrated in vacuo and then spray-dried
similarly as in Example for Reference 6 to obtain an anhydrous amorphous
maltose powder with a moisture content of 0.45 w/w %.
Like the anhydrous maltose obtained in Example for Reference 1
the product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for hydrous
matters, as well as sweetener.
Several embodiments and features of the present invention will
hereinafter be described.
EXAMPLE 1
Desiccant
Twenty gram aliquots of an anhydrous maltose powder obtained by
the method in Example for Reference 5 were packed in small moisture-permeable
paper bags.
The product can be advantageously used as the desiccant for moistureproof
package containing a dehydrated food such as "ajitsuke-nori"
or cookie.
The product stably stores dehydrated- or oily-foods in conjunction
with conventional deoxygenator.
EXAMPLE 2
"Oboro-fu gyuhi"
Four kilograms of waxy rice powder was dissolved in 6000 ml of
water, and the resultant was poured into a wet cloth extended over
a wooden frame and steamed at 100.degree. C. for 20 minutes. The
resultant product was kneaded with 8 kg of an anhydrous maltose
powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 7 and 1 kg
of sucrose, added with 1 kg of corn syrup, sufficiently kneaded,
shaped and allowed to stand under ambient conditions for 6 hours
to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
at the outer layer of the resultant product. Thereafter, the product
was subjected briefly to roll crusher to crack the surface.
The product excellent in taste and flavor and scarcely susceptive
to microbial contamination retains its high-quality over a long
period of time.
EXAMPLE 3
"Imo-gashi (a snack food prepared from sweet potato)"
Sweet potatoes were cut into slices about 1 cm thick, steamed,
cooled by standing, and dehydrated by coating with an anhydrous
maltose powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 1
to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
to obtain "imo-gashi" where the beta-maltose hydrate was
attached on the surface.
The product was a tasty and stable "imo-gashi".
EXAMPLE 4
Fondant containing mayonnaise
Five kilograms of mayonnaise was admixed with 5 kg of an anhydrous
maltose powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 5
to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate.
The product can be advantageously used in confectioneries.
The chilled product with a mayonnaise flavor is suitable for frozen
dessert.
EXAMPLE 5
French dressing powder
Two kilograms of French dressing was mixed with 8 kg of an anhydrous
maltose powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 3
while stirring, transferred into a tray, and blocked by 2-day standing
to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate.
The block was then pulverized with a scraper and sieved to obtain
a French dressing powder excellent in taste and flavor.
The product can be advantageously used for sprinkling on vegetable
salad, as well as for seasoning fresh vegetables for sandwich.
EXAMPLE 6
Brandy powder
Ten g of pullulan was dissolved in 2000 ml of brandy, and the
resultant solution was mixed with 10 kg of an anhydrous maltose
powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 6 blocked
and pulverized similarly as in Example 5 to obtained a brandy powder.
Since during conversion into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate the
anhydrous maltose swelled to increase its volume a little over 2-folds,
the resultant block with a decreased hardness was pulverized easily.
The product is a powder flavor that exhibits in the mouth an appropriate
sweetness and a satisfactory brandy flavor.
The product can be advantageously used for flavoring tea, as well
as preparing confectioneries such as premixes and candies.
The product can be advantageously shaped with granulator or tabletting
machine, prior to its use.
EXAMPLE 7
"Miso" powder
One kilograms of "aka-miso (a soybean paste with a red appearance)"
was mixed with 3 kg of an anhydrous maltose powder obtained in Example
for Reference 2 poured into wells provided on a metal plate, solidified
by allowing at ambient temperature overnight and removed from the
wells to obtain "miso" solids, about 4 kg each, which
were then subjected to a pulverizer to obtain a "miso"
powder.
The product can be advantageously used as the seasoning for instant
Chinese noodle and instant "miso" soup.
In addition, the product is usable in confectioneries.
EXAMPLE 8
Soy sauce powder
One part of "usukuchi-shoyu (a soy sauce with a relatively
thin taste)" was sprayed onto a mixture of 4 parts of an anhydrous
maltose powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 7
and 0.02 parts of a commercialized crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
fluidizing on a conveyer, after which the resultant product was
conveyed outside towards an ageing tower and allowed to stand in
the tower at 30.degree. C. overnight to convert the anhydrous maltose
into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate.
The product can be advantageously used as the seasoning for instant
Chinese noodle and instant soup.
EXAMPLE 9
Yolk powder
A yolk prepared with fresh eggs was pasteurized at 60-64.degree.
C. with a plate-type heat-pasteurizer, and one part of the obtained
yolk fluid was added with 4 parts of an anhydrous maltose powder
obtained by the method in Example for Reference 6 blocked and pulverized
similarly as in Example 5 to obtain a yolk powder.
The product can be advantageously used in premixes, frozen desserts
and emulsifiers, as well as in baby food and nutritious diet such
as liquid food for peroral- or parenteraladministration.
Also, the product can be advantageously used in skin treatment
and hair tonic.
EXAMPLE 10
Butter powder
Ten kilograms of butter was mixed with 20 kg of an anhydrous maltose
powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 2 with a
mixer, blocked and pulverized similarly as in Example 5 to obtain
a butter powder.
The product can be advantageously used in premix, potage soup,
stew and "chahan (a Chinese fried rice)", as well as in
nutritious diet such as intubation feeding.
EXAMPLE 11
Cream powder
Two kilograms of fresh cream was mixed with 8 kg of an anhydrous
maltose powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 3
blocked and pulverized similarly as in Example 5 to obtain a cream
powder.
The cream powder excellent in taste and flavor can be advantageously
used for seasoning coffee and tea, as well as preparing premix,
frozen dessert, cake, candy and nutritious diet such as intubation
feeding.
Also, the product can be advantageously used in skin treatment
and hair tonic.
EXAMPLE 12
Yogurt powder
Two kg of plane yogurt was mixed with 10 kg of an anhydrous maltose
powder obtained by the method in Example for Reference 4 blocked
and pulverized similarly as in Example 5 to obtain a yogurt powder.
The product excellent in taste and flavor stably retains the lactic
acid bacteria over a long period of time. The product can be advantageously
used to prepare premix, frozen dessert, margarine, whipped cream,
spread, cheese cake and jelly with a yogurt flavor, as well as to
prepare nutritious diet such as intubation feeding.
The biochemicals obtained by shaping the product with granulator
or tabletting machine can be advantageously used as the medicine
for intestinal disorders.
EXAMPLE 13
Hot cake mix
Two hundred grams of flour was mixed with 60 g of a yolk powder
obtained by the method in Example 9 78 g of a butter powder obtained
by the method in Example 10 10 g of sucrose, 12 g of baking powder
and 0.5 g of salt to obtain a hot cake mix.
A tasty hot cake can be easily prepared by dissolving the product
in water or milk, and baking the resultant mixture.
EXAMPLE 14
Ginseng extract powder
Five hundred grams of ginseng extract was kneaded with 1.5 kg of
an anhydrous maltose powder obtained by the method in Example for
Reference 6 blocked and pulverized similarly as in Example 5.
The resultant powder was then fed to a granulator together with
appropriate amounts of vitamin B.sub.1 and vitamin B.sub.2 powders
to obtain a ginseng granule containing vitamins.
The product can be advantageously used as tonic and medicine for
restoring fatigue.
EXAMPLE 15
Solid composition for fluid food
Twenty-five gram aliquots of a composition consisting of 500 part
of an anhydrous maltose powder obtained by the method in Example
for Reference 1 270 parts of a yolk powder obtained by the method
in Example 9 209 parts of defatted milk, 4.4 parts of sodium chloride,
1.85 parts of potassium chloride, 4 parts of magnesium sulfate,
0.01 part of thiamine, 0.1 part of sodium ascorbate, 0.6 parts of
vitamin E acetate, and 0.04 parts of nicotinamide were packed in
small moistureproof laminated bags, followed by heat-sealing.
The composition decreases the moisture in the bag and requires
no low-temperature storage because it is stable over a long period
of time even at ambient temperature.
The product is excellent in dispersibility and solubility in water.
A bag of the product, dissolved in 150-300 ml of water, can be
used as the liquid food in peroral- or parenteral-administration
through the nasal cavity, stomach or intestine.
EXAMPLE 16
Solid injection
Newborn hamsters were injected with antiserum prepared in conventional
manner to weaken their immunoreaction, implanted subcutaneously
with BALL-1 cell and fed in usual manner for 3 weeks. The tumor
masses, formed subcutaneously in the body of the hamsters, were
extracted, minced and disaggregated in saline. The cell thus obtained
was washed with serum-free RPMI 1640 medium (pH 7.2), suspended
in a fresh preparation of the same culture medium to give a cell
density of about 2.times.10.sup.6 cells/ml, and incubated at 35.degree.
C. The culture medium was added with 200 U/ml of an interferon preparation,
incubated at this temperature for an additional 2 hours, added with
Sendai virus in an amount of about 300 hemagglutination titer/ml,
and incubated for an additional 20 hours to induce interferon production.
The resultant culture was then centrifuged at about 1000.times.g
to remove the sediment, and the supernatant was filtered with a
membrane filter The filtrate was passed through a column of immobilized
anti-interferon antibody in conventional manner, and the non-adsorbed
part was removed. The adsorbed part was then eluted and concentrated
with a membrane to obtain a liquid preparation, concentration of
about 0.01 w/v %, specific activity of about 1.5.times.10.sup.8
U/mg protein, in the yield of about 4 ml per hamster.
Eight gram aliquots of a pyrogen-free anhydrous maltose powder
obtained by the method in Example for Reference 5 were placed in
100 ml moistureproof plastic bottles which were then added with
0.2 ml aliquot of the liquid interferon preparation (about 3.times.10.sup.6
U), rubber-stopped and cap-sealed under sterile conditions to obtain
a solid injection.
This process has the advantages that it does not require treatment,
apparatus and energy for lyophilization because the solution containing
interferon is dehydrated only by dropping it onto a portion of anhydrous
maltose powder and effectively stabilized by the maltose.
Since the product is readily dissolvable in water, it can be advantageously
used as the test reagent, antiviral agent or antioncotic for subcutaneous,
intramascular or intravenous injection.
The titer of human interferon was assayed by the conventional plaque
reduction method, and the hemagglutination titer was measured by
the method as reported by J. E. Salk, The Journal of Immunology,
Vol. 49 pp. 87-98 (1944).
EXAMPLE 17
Solid injection
Newborn hamsters were injected with an antiserum prepared from
rabbit in conVentional manner to weaken their immunoreaction, implanted
subcutaneously with an established SV-40 virus-transformed human
monocytic cell fed in usual manner for one week, injected intraperitoneally
with 10.sup.7 viable BCG cells and fed for an additional 2 weeks.
The tumor masses, formed subcutaneously in the body of the hamsters,
about 15 g each, were extracted, minced and disaggregated by suspending
in saline containing trypsin. The obtained cell Was washed with
Eagle's minimal essential medium (pH 7.2), supplemented with 5 v/v
% human serum, diluted with a fresh preparation of the same culture
medium, prewarmed to 37.degree. C., to give a cell density of about
5.times.10.sup.6 cells/ml, added with about 10 micrograms/ml of
E. coli endotoxin, and incubated at this temperature for 16 hours
to induce tumor necrosis factor production.
The resultant culture was then centrifuged at about 1000.times.g
and 4.degree. C. to remove the sediment, and the supernatant was
dialyzed against saline containing 0.01M phosphate buffer (pH 7.2)
for 21 hours, filtered with a membrane filter, concentrated and
lyophilized to obtain a powder possessing tumor necrosis factor
activity. The obtained powder was then purified with adsorption
and desorption using ion exchange, molecular weight fractionation
using gel filtration, concentration and filtration using membrane
filter in accordance with the method as reported in G. Bodo, Symposium
on Preparation, Standardization and Clinical Use of Interferon,
11th International Immunobiological Symposium 8 & 9 June 1977
Zagreb, Yugoslavia, to remove the interferon, and the resultant
interferon-free product was purified with salting-out using ammonium
sulfate and affinity-chromatography using concanavalin A-bound Sepharose
to obtain an about 0.01 w/v % liquid preparation containing tumor
necrosis factor in the yield of about 30 ml per hamster. Tumor necrosis
factor is characterized in that it effects hemorrhagic cytolysis
on Meth A sarcoma but no affects on normal human cells. The tumor
necrosis factor obtained in this way was a glycoprotein with a specific
activity of about 3.5.times.10.sup.5 U/mg protein and free of the
inducer used.
Fifty gram aliquots of a pyrogen-free anhydrous maltose powder
obtained by the method in Example for Reference 4 were placed in
500 ml glass bottles, added with 0.5 ml of the liquid preparation
containing tumor necrosis factor (about 1.75.times.10.sup.3 U),
rubber-stopped and cap-sealed under sterile conditions to obtain
a solid injection.
This process has the advantages that it does not require treatment,
equipment and energy for lyophilization because the solution containing
tumor necrosis factor is dehydrated by the anhydrous maltose, as
well as that it is effective in stabilization of tumor necrosis
factor.
Since the product is readily dissolvable in water, it can be advantageously
used as the antioncotic, hyperalimentation and injection for instillation.
The titer of tumor necrosis factor was assayed by the method in
Lymphokines, Vol. 2 pp. 235-272 "Tumor Necrosis Factor"
(1981), wherein L-929 cell that is sensitive to tumor necrosis factor
is cultured for a prescribed time, followed by counting of the number
of the viable cells.
EXAMPLE 18
Ointment for treating trauma
Three grams of iodine in 50 ml methanol was admixed with 500 g
of an anhydrous maltose powder obtained by the method in Example
for Reference 7 mixed with 200 ml of 10 w/v % aqueous pullulan
solution, and allowed to stand at ambient temperature overnight
to convert the anhydrous maltose into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
to obtain an ointment with appropriate spreading rate and adhesiveness.
The product can be used for treating trauma such as incised wound,
abrasion, burn and trichophytic ulcer by applying it directly onto
the trauma surface, or by applying it on gauze or oilpaper which
is then placed on the trauma surface.
The deinfectant- and alimentary-activities of the maltose in the
product shortens the healing period and heals trauma well.
As described above, the present invention provides a novel desiccant
containing anhydrous maltose. The present desiccant can be advantageously
used to decrease the atmospheric moisture in a moistureproof package
that encloses, for example, dehydrated food, as well as to decrease
the moisture content of various hydrous matters, for example, foods,
pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, and their materials and intermediates.
By the practice of the present method wherein dehydration is effected
by converting anhydrous maltose into crystalline beta-maltose hydrate
to substantially decrease moisture, a high-quality dehydrated products
can be prepared without, as well as using vigorous processing conditions
such as heat-drying, deteriorating hydrous matters, for example,
foods which tend to loose their flavor, and pharmaceuticals which
tend to decompose or inactivate their effective ingredient.
The dehydrated products obtained in this way retain their high-quality
over a long period of time because alteration and deterioration
such as microbial contamination, hydrolysis, souring and browning
are prevented in the product.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described
using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purpose
only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may
be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following
claims. |